Quick fish pie with peas

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

2lb (900g) russet or other baking

potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 tbsp butter, plus extra for topping, if desired

1½lb (675g) skinless boneless white fish, such as haddock, hake, sustainable cod, or pollack, cut into chunks (see Cook’s Notes)

2/3 cup whole milk

1 cup frozen peas

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

2 tbsp (30g) butter

3 tbsp (25g) all-purpose flour

1¼ cups whole milk, or as needed

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or the broiler to High. Peel and quarter the potatoes, and boil or steam in a pan of salted water for about 15 minutes, or until soft. Drain well, and mash. Add the butter, and mash again. Set aside and keep warm.

2 Put the fish in a shallow frying pan. Season well with salt and pepper. Pour in just enough of the milk to cover, and poach over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a baking dish.

3 To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat, and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Return the pan to the heat, and gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Keep cooking and stirringfor 5–6 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add more milk if needed. Stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the peas and eggs.

4 Spoon the sauce over the fish, and stir gently. Top with the reserved mashed potatoes, swirling the surface with a spoon to form peaks. Dot with extra butter if desired, then bake or cook under a hot broiler for about 10 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden and the mixture is heated through.

Notes:

If the fish needs to be skinned, lay it skin-side down on a work surface, and slice crosswise along the tip of the tail. Now hold on to the end of the tail, and use a filleting or boning knife to slice under the skin until it pulls away from the flesh.

Quick fish pie with peas