Saffron fish pie

  • Portion size: Serves 6
  • Hands-on time 1 hour, oven time 35-40 min
  • Difficulty: easy
Recipe by: Debbie Major

Debbie Major’s luxurious fish pie recipe is made with saffron, cream, fish and prawns, then topped with a buttery mash before baking.

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Ingredients

  • ¾ tsp saffron strands
  • 200ml double cream
  • 300ml whole milk or Jersey milk
  • 1 small onion, thickly sliced
  • 4 fresh bay leaves
  • 500g cod or haddock fillet, skin on
  • 250g undyed smoked cod/haddock
  • 250g salmon fillet, skin on
  • 100g raw North Atlantic prawns, peeled (from about 300g whole, unpeeled prawns)
  • 1 tbsp small capers, drained and rinsed
  • 50g butter
  • 45g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

For the topping

  • 1.25kg floury potatoes (king edward or maris piper)
  • 50g butter
  • 1 large free-range egg yolk
  • 1-2 tbsp whole milk
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Method

  1. Heat a small frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the saffron and shake it around for a few seconds until it darkens very slightly. Tip into a mortar and cool, then grind into a fine powder with the pestle.
  2. Put the saffron powder, cream, milk, onion, bay leaves, white fish, smoked fish and salmon into a saucepan. Bring just to the boil, lower the heat, then simmer for 7-8 minutes until the fish is just cooked through. Lift the fish onto a plate and leave it to cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid into a jug.
  3. Flake the cooked fish into a shallow 2-2.25 litre ovenproof dish, discarding the skin and any bones. Scatter over the peeled prawns and the capers.
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  5. Melt the butter in a clean pan, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, then gradually stir in the reserved cooking liquid. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer gently for 5 minutes to reduce slightly and cook out the flour. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and leave to cool uncovered so it forms a skin.
  6. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. To make the topping, put the potatoes in a pan, cover with salted water, put over a high heat, then bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well, return to the pan, then mash until smooth. Beat in the butter, egg yolk and milk, then season. Pipe or spoon the mash over the filling, then bake for 35-40 minutes until browned and bubbling.

Nutrition

  • 734kcals Calories
  • 39.9g (22.5g saturated) Fat
  • 42.8g Protein
  • 48.4g (5.4g sugars) Carbs
  • 5g Fibre
  • 1.2g Salt

Make Ahead

Prepare the filling (to the end of step 4) 24 hours ahead. Cool, keep covered in the fridge, then continue with the recipe when ready.

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