Fisherman’s Pie

I made this fish pie a wee while ago when my brother and his family were down visiting. It really went down a treat. The hint of chilli in it gives it a lovely heat. This is quite an easy recipe, so even if you don't consider yourself a great cook I'm sure you will find this straightforward and very effective.

Ingredients

1kg floury potatoes

300g salmon fillets, skinned and boned

300g smoked haddock or coley, skinned and boned

100g uncooked prawns, de-shelled and de-veined

1 large carrot

2 sticks of celery

Half a red chilli

Zest of 1 lemon

Knob of butter

Milk

For the sauce

600ml milk

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons chopped chives

50g of low-fat cheese, grated

1–2 chicken/vegetable stock cubes, crumbled

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

Method

• Place your peeled potatoes into a saucepan and just cover with cold water, then add a pinch of sea salt. Place the saucepan on the hob and turn on to a high heat and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to medium for 10–15 minutes. Check the potatoes with a fork – if it stabs through easily they are done, if not leave them for a few more minutes until it does. Drain into a colander in the sink and let them stand for a few minutes. Place back into the saucepan and cover with a clean tea towel.

• Cut all the fish into bite-sized chunks and mix with the prawns in a suitable-sized oven dish.

• Coarsely grate the carrot and celery and finely grate the chilli and the zest of the lemon. Sprinkle all this over the top of the fish and toss roughly with your hands.

• For the sauce, mix a little drop of the milk with the cornflour to make a paste. Put the remaining milk into a saucepan and heat gently. When warm add in the paste and stir, then add in the chives and half the cheese and crumble in the stock cube(s). Turn up the temperature and when the sauce is hot add in the mustard, then lower the heat again. Simmer until it is the consistency of double cream. Pour over the top of the fish and veg.

• Mash the potatoes with some butter and milk until they are nice and creamy and cover the top of the pie with it. Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese.

• Pop the pie into a preheated oven at 200ºC for 20 minutes or until the top has turned golden.