Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 14 oz smoked fish fillets
• 14 oz raw unsmoked white fish fillets
• 3¼ cups milk, plus 8½ Tbsp extra for the mash
• 1 brown onion, quartered
• 4 whole cloves (optional)
• 2¾ oz unsalted butter, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 small celery stick, finely chopped
• 1¾ oz plain flour
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
• 1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 26½ oz floury potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 in pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered (optional)
• ½ oz grated parmesan (optional)

Method

1. Put both lots of fish in a large pan with the 3¼ cups milk, the quartered onion and the cloves. Bring just to a simmer, then turn off the heat, cover and leave for 8 minutes. Lift out the fish, flake it into large chunks and strain the milk, reserving it.
2. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until very tender. Drain, mash with 1 oz of the butter and the extra 8½ Tbsp milk, and season well.
3. Melt 1¾ oz butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes until softened, adding the garlic for the last minute.
4. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved poaching milk and simmer, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until thick and smooth.
5. Take the sauce off the heat. Fold in the flaked fish, peas, tarragon and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the filling into a 2 qt baking dish and tuck the egg quarters through it, if using. Cover with the mash, roughing the top up with a fork.
7. Heat the oven to 400°F. Dot the remaining butter, melted, over the mash and scatter with parmesan if using.
8. Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Rest for 5 minutes, garnish with parsley and serve.

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 60 min · Total: 75 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data