a fish pie
rating:Serves 4
5 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 2.5cm squares
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
4 free-range eggs
125g-250g button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced.
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach (or a not-very-big chunk of the frozen stuff, defrosted)
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot, halved and finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
approx 285ml double cream
2-4 good handfuls of grated mature Cheddar or Parmesan cheese
Juice of one lemon
1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
1 large handful of finely chopped parsley
455g haddock or cod fillet, bones and skin removed and cut into strips
Salt, pepper and nutmeg
Preheat oven to 230ºC.
Hard boil the eggs, then plunge into cold water and leave to cool. Peel and quarter or roughly mash them with salt and pepper.
Fry the mushrooms gently in a little butter, then remove from heat and set aside on a clean plate.
Put diced potatoes into a pan of salted boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft and squishable, but not disintegrated. Drain the spuds and mash them with olive oil or with milk and butter, according to choice. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Steam the spinach, then squeeze out the water in a clean tea-towel.
Add some olive oil to a large frying pan, then slowly fry the finely-chopped onion and carrot for about 5 minutes. Add the double cream and bring just to the point of boiling. Remove pan from heat and add cheese, lemon juice, mustard and parsley.
Put the spinach, fish and eggs into a large earthenware dish and mix together before pouring on the creamy vegetable sauce. Spread the mashed potato on top of the mixture and put in the oven for about half an hour, or until the potatoes are golden.
Serve with something green.