Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Salmon Fish Pie
The rain is back again and I was quite happy to have a warming dinner half ready for tonight. It's not cold here at the moment, just damp and uncomfortable. Really the sort of weather for staying at home reading a good book and drinking hot chocolate all day, but I don't think my boss would approve if I called in to say that the rain was keeping me from coming in to work. But Lofty didn't mind that it prevented me from making salad and opting for a rich, creamy fish pie instead.2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
500g fresh salmon, cut into chunks (I used salmon because I had it, but other fish works just as well; you could, for example try cod, haddock or a mixture of different kinds of fish)
a good handful of mushrooms, sliced
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 handfuls of spinach, washed
5 small or 2 medium potatoes
50ml white wine
100ml fish stock
100ml double cream
3 tbsp chives, chopped
2 tbsp grain mustard
300g ready-to-roll puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, add enough water to just cover and bring to the boil. Cook until almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on the size. Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for a minute. Add the fish and fry until lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Now add the carrots and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released most of their liquid. Finally add the spinach and allow to collapse.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into large chunks (you can peel them if you want to, but I prefer them with the skin on). Pour the white wine into the pan with the fish and vegetables and bring to the boil. After a minute or two add the fish stock and cream and bring to the boil. Cook until lightly thickened. Stir in the chives and mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour the fish mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the pastry. Firmly push down the edges to seal in the filling and then brush the top with the beaten egg. Cut a few small slots into the pastry to let the steam escape, then place the dish into the oven. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Christine at 8:32 pm
