No shortcuts. No cheat ingredients. Our best of the best series takes the view that if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Each month we take a deep-dive into a classic dish, delving into the processes and analysing why it tastes so good, then we give you our ultimate recipe. This month: Pollyanna Coupland lifts the lid on fish pie
A spectacular fish pie is a Christmas Eve tradition for many, but in my house it’s almost a monthly treat – not only for an ultimate bowl of comfort, but also for some therapeutic time in the kitchen. Honing cookery skills is pure pleasure for me and this pie has it all: filleting fish, making stock and a silky sauce, and perfecting the smoothest mash. Let me show you how (and why) I make my fish pie the way I do – it really is the best of the best.
THE SAUCE
The secret to any good fish pie is the sauce – and the secret to the sauce is the base. A lot of recipes tell you to poach the fish in milk, then use the infused dairy as the sauce base, but I prefer to make a stock from water (plus wine and pastis) using the fish head, bones and skin. The reasons for this are:
• This gills-to-tail approach eliminates waste and teaches new skills. Filleting a fish is a satisfying job, though you can ask your fishmonger to do it for you if you don’t fancy it (just ask to keep the bones).
• As the fish gets cooked once it’s in the pie, it doesn’t need to be poached in milk beforehand and risk becoming overcooked.
• Using stock not milk makes my pie lighter, plus dairy fats tend to dampen flavours. Stock ensures a flavour-first pie.
THE FISH
What I love about fish pie is its versatility – you can add whatever combination of sustainable fish and shellfish you like. I’ve gone for a white fish, an oily fish (salmon is most used in fish pie mixes but trout is more sustainable), a good quality smoked haddock for flavour and prawns for texture.
I usually choose a whole sea bass or sea bream to get the bones for my stock, but any white or flat fish will work well (oily fish don’t work as the bones and skin make greasy stock – buy fillets instead and add them in pieces to the filling).
Definitely use the fish head as it contains lots of natural gelatine, which gives the stock body. And rinse the bones under cold water to remove any blood, as this will impart bitterness.
FILLETING IT
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