Great Queen Street fish pie recipe

By Tom Norrington-Davies

Serves 4
Ready in 1½ hours
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Rating

It’s worth seeking out an Arbroath smokie for this pie. If you buy a dressed crab, the brown and white parts will have been separated for you. If you buy potted shrimps instead of prawns, then melt them out of their butter first. You won’t need the nutmeg if you use potted shrimps as they contain mace.

Ingredients

1 Arbroath smokie or 150g undyed smoked haddock fillet
100g small, cooked and peeled prawns or potted shrimps
1 medium whole cooked crab, or 2 dressed crabs, or a 115g tub each of brown and white crab meat
4 big or 8 small scallops (optional)
700g floury potatoes (about 3 medium), roughly diced
1 tbsp mild oil, such as rapeseed
1 leek, washed and roughly chopped 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
200ml milk, plus extra for mashing (optional)
100ml double cream
¼ nutmeg, grated
Tiny pinch of saffron
3 hard-boiled eggs

Method

1. Prepare the seafood. Split and flake the smokie, discarding the bones. If using smoked haddock, skin, bone and dice roughly, then set aside. If you are using potted shrimps, melt the butter and strain out the shrimps. Set aside but use the butter for the sauce, if you like. If you’ve bought a whole crab, crack the shell and claws, pick out the white and brown meat and set aside separately. Cut any large scallops, if using, into 2 or 3 discs.
2. Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water for 15-20 minutes, until cooked. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and gently fry the leek and celery in the oil for 8-10 minutes, until tender – don’t let them brown. Add the smokie (or haddock), the prawns or shrimps, the scallops and white crab meat. Stir gently for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover and leave to rest in the pan.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter (or use the butter from the shrimps) in a pan. Add the flour, stir and gently cook for a minute or so, then remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Cook until thickened, then stir in the nutmeg (don’t add if you’re using potted shrimps) and saffron and combine with the fish mixture.
5. Peel and chop the eggs, then add to the pie filling. Check the seasoning.
6. Mix the potatoes with the remaining butter and the brown crab meat. Mash thoroughly and season. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6.
7. Fill a 1.2-litre pie dish or baking dish with the fish mix, then spread the potato topping over it (you can loosen the topping with a little milk if necessary). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. Serve with steamed peas or runner beans.