Fish Pie

[Arfer]

Easy peasy.
Poach fish in stock/wine/water.
Boil and mash potato.
Cover fish with potato and bake 30 mins in oven.
RESULT Fish boiled and baked for far too long.

Where is it going wrong?

[kempiejon]

No pastry?

[swill453]

How long are you poaching the fish for? A couple of minutes to warm through should be enough, it can finish cooking under the potato.

Scott.

[James]

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/fam ... pie-recipe

[Urbandreamer]

RESULT Fish boiled and baked for far too long.

Where is it going wrong?

I agree with James, start with a recipe.
There are many variants to the idea, but it's never just fish and mash.

If you want a quick cheat then use undiluted condensed celery soup. It produces a so-so result.

A better method is to poach the fish with onions then use the stock to make a white source. Some green stuff (peas, spring onions) provide bite and interest. I just add frozen peas as that's easy. The fish will dry out without a source.

Last time I made a fish pie I used celeriac mash instead of potato as we are trying to cut down on carbs.

[mutantpoodle]

needs boiled egg in there!

[Mike4]

If you want a quick cheat then use undiluted condensed celery soup. It produces a so-so result.

I do similar. For a really quick cheaty fish pie I put tinned tuna into a pie dish, smother it with a tin of condensed mushroom soup, warm it in the oven while the spuds boil and I mash them, then spread the mash on top and return to oven for 20-30 mins to crisp up the top. V simple and delicious!

[jackdaww]

.

re tinned soup etc .

i recently had some surplus , which i put out overnite for animals to finish off .

days later its still there , usually all is gone to foxes , cats and our local hedgehog.

these tins could contain any junk , and probably do.

easy enough to buy meat and veg and make the soup - you know whats in it .

re fish pie .

ours is made with boiled/mashed potatoes , tinned sardines , onions , and a layer of cheese .

cooked in pie dish in oven .

simple cheap nutricious tasty .

[genou]

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/family-meals-easy-fish-pie-recipe

That's close, but no cigar. Bin the sweetcorn and peas. Add a handful of capers, and some just hard boiled eggs ( one minute boiling and 12 minutes sitting for large eggs ) . If you like lush, put an egg yolk and a teaspoon of turmeric into the mash. If you like luxury, add some prawns to the fish mix as well.

[redsturgeon]

Mrs RS does a great fish pie, not sure of the recipe but there is no better comfort food IMHO.

John

[Mike4]

.


ours is made with boiled/mashed potatoes , tinned sardines , onions , and a layer of cheese .

cooked in pie dish in oven .

simple cheap nutricious tasty .

Nothing else? Sounds delicious, I shall try that.

Tinned sardines though, given your views on tinned soup?!

[James]

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/family-meals-easy-fish-pie-recipe

That's close, but no cigar. Bin the sweetcorn and peas. Add a handful of capers, and some just hard boiled eggs ( one minute boiling and 12 minutes sitting for large eggs ) . If you like lush, put an egg yolk and a teaspoon of turmeric into the mash. If you like luxury, add some prawns to the fish mix as well.

Yeah, I was just putting that one up to show there's more to fish pie than overcooked fish and potato, and because it is a super-simple beginner's recipe.
I usually make a bechamel with onion, bay and cloves in the milk, then quickly poach the fish in the milk before it goes in the sauce.
Fish is usually a mix of salmon, smoked haddock, cod and prawns.
Often through a couple of eggs in the pot to boil with the spuds, and add lots of mustard to the mash. Peas more likely to be served as a side than inside the pie.
Point is, you need to have a grasp of the basics before you can start playing around, and that Beeb one is a good starting place.

[fisher]

This is my favourite fish pie recipe that I've cooked many times. It is not simple nor particularly healthy mind, but it does taste lovely.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fis ... -fish-pie/

[Lootman]

My local deli sells a frozen "fish pie mix". You thaw it, cook and mash the tatties separately, and then stick it in the oven.

I would not personally doplicate the white fish since they all tend to taste the same anyway with other items. Pick one white fish (haddock would be my choice), one oily fish (salmon, mackerel etc.), prawns and maybe one other fishy item.

[Eboli]

Going back to the original question, the fish is being cooked too long.

Lootman's frozen fish pie mix is the way to go. These normally contain 3 parts white fish to 2 parts salmon to 1 part smoked haddock or suck like to which frozen prawns can be added. Make the mash (I normally add peas sometimes cheese); make the sauce - simple white is best with or without any of spinach, capers, onions, garlic, vermouth &c. Add the frozen fish and frozen prawn to the sauce; mix; top with the mash and bake. This way the fish is never dry.

Eb

[Lootman]

Going back to the original question, the fish is being cooked too long.

Lootman's frozen fish pie mix is the way to go. These normally contain 3 parts white fish to 2 parts salmon to 1 part smoked haddock or suck like to which frozen prawns can be added. Make the mash (I normally add peas sometimes cheese); make the sauce - simple white is best with or without any of spinach, capers, onions, garlic, vermouth &c. Add the frozen fish and frozen prawn to the sauce; mix; top with the mash and bake. This way the fish is never dry.

Good point about not thawing the seafood. I always worry about undercooking seafood, especially shellfish. Maybe a partial thaw works best.

[jackdaww]

.


ours is made with boiled/mashed potatoes , tinned sardines , onions , and a layer of cheese .

cooked in pie dish in oven .

simple cheap nutricious tasty .

Nothing else? Sounds delicious, I shall try that.

Tinned sardines though, given your views on tinned soup?!

========================

tinned sardines in sunflower oil contain just that, nothing else .

i have heard that all fish now do contain some plastic particles .

sardines are relatively low down the food chain.

farmed fish are bound to be fed rubbish .

[Arfer]

Thanks for the very helpful information. It was the OVERCOOKING of the fish that troubled me.

I shall try Lootman's advice

[Dod101]

This is my favourite fish pie recipe that I've cooked many times. It is not simple nor particularly healthy mind, but it does taste lovely.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fis ... -fish-pie/

Looks pretty straightforward and sounds good until it gets to the baked beans and tomato ketchup!

Dod

[Dod101]

Going back to the original question, the fish is being cooked too long.

Lootman's frozen fish pie mix is the way to go. These normally contain 3 parts white fish to 2 parts salmon to 1 part smoked haddock or suck like to which frozen prawns can be added. Make the mash (I normally add peas sometimes cheese); make the sauce - simple white is best with or without any of spinach, capers, onions, garlic, vermouth &c. Add the frozen fish and frozen prawn to the sauce; mix; top with the mash and bake. This way the fish is never dry.

Eb

Surely you are not suggesting adding the fish and prawns in their frozen state are you? You need to defrost them first or is that taken as a given?

Dod