Do you want to know if fish should be cooked before making a fish pie? My experience suggests you should always keep this simple fish pie recipe on hand for those inevitable occasions.
It requires no prior fish cooking and has a basic sauce with a lovely cheesy potato topping. Put everything together to create the perfect comfort meal.
Fish pie is often considered a dish that demands time, skill, and patience to make well. Cancel that!
I thought there had to be a straightforward method to prepare a traditional fish pie recipe, and I’m thrilled to say that THIS is it!
This is a great go-to dish for cosy evenings with the family or for presenting to visitors at the dinner table because it’s a simple fish pie.
It feels nice to eat this pie. It requires no more than 20 methods or five pans and is healthful and enjoyable.
This is a simple and adjusted version of fish pie that has a failsafe sauce without sacrificing flavor.
Additionally, it’s ideal for bulk cooking so that you may prepare meals for the freezer. That’s not all, though; as you continue reading, I’ll explain why you shouldn’t cook fish before preparing a fish pie.
Now, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why Do You Pre Cook The Fish For Fish Pie
This cosy recipe for Nigella’s Nursery Fish Pie from FEAST calls for haddock and smoked haddock. It brings back memories of British “nursery” cuisine.
Initially, the two fish are poached in milk flavored with peppercorns and bay leaves. This is due to two factors.
The first is that the milk absorbs the flavor of the fish, especially the smoked haddock, improving the taste of the sauce and pie as a whole.
The second reason is that the fish liquids that leak out while cooking would dilute the sauce, making it runnier and thinner and altering the final dish’s consistency if the raw fish is placed inside the cooked sauce before baking.
The pie must be baked long enough to brown the top if you use hot fish, sauce, and mashed potatoes.
Nigella notes this in the recipe and recommends cooking the pie for around 20 minutes to barely brown the top.
What Is The Best Fish For Fish Pie
I prefer to use a mix of regular unsmoked and smoked fish. Most flavor comes from the smoked fish (the vivid orange one).
However, I use both smoked and unsmoked (standard raw) fish since using solely smoked fish might be slightly overbearing.
Sadly, Australia has a minimal selection of smoked fish. Smoked cod is available only at the stores and seafood market near me (Woolies).
It’s excellent for fish pie and is a fantastic deal at $10/kg ($5/lb). It’s well-seasoned and has a lovely smoky flavor.
It is colored, certainly. However, I must admit that I adore the color it gives the pie filling!
I like to use a traditional approach, poaching the fish with onions studded with cloves. To make this Fish Pie even more exceptional, it infuses the broth with a delicate hint of flavor.
After just 7 minutes of poaching, the flavor that the milk absorbs will indeed wow you. It has an unmistakable taste!
The creamy sauce for the fish pie is then made using milk infused with flavor.
Though I don’t think it’s entirely traditional, I prefer adding sautéed carrots and celery to the sauce since it gives the filling even more flavor and texture.
How To Prepare Your Ingredients For Making Fish Pie
Make sure all of your ingredients are ready before you begin cooking your kids’ fish pie. This will assist you in ensuring that your pie is nourishing and tasty.
Here are some pointers to get you going:
1. Select Fresh Components
Using fresh ingredients is crucial when creating fish pie. This will guarantee that your pie is nutrient- and flavor-rich. Ensure that the seafood, veggies, and herbs you select are fresh.
Fresh fish is available at your neighborhood grocer or fisherman.
2. Clean and Dice Your Produce
Prepare your veggies by giving them a good wash before beginning to cut. Cut your veggies into little pieces using a sharp knife. If you’d like, you may chop your veggies in a food processor or blender.
3. Prepare Your Fish.
There are several methods you may use to prepare fish. It may be baked, grilled, or poached. Ensure you thaw any frozen fish you plan to use before cooking it.
Your fish may be defrosted by placing it in the refrigerator or using a microwave.
4. Prepare the Sauce
In a skillet, melt some butter to prepare your sauce. To make a paste, add some flour and mix. Add milk a little at a time, stirring until the sauce thickens. To give your sauce more taste, you can add various spices and herbs.
5. Grate Your Vegetables
Simmer the potatoes until they become tender. After draining, mash them with milk and butter. To mash potatoes, you can use a blender or a potato masher.
What To Serve With Fish Pie
The Crock-Pot Fish Pie should have a beautiful, golden brown top when it’s time to serve.
This is one of those lunches best enjoyed immediately; however, we have occasionally eaten leftovers the next day. Just be sure to properly reheat any leftovers before consuming them.
The simplest way to enjoy fish pie is with steamed veggies and freshly ground black pepper.
We want a variety of green vegetables, occasionally even sweetcorn, and you may add frozen peas to the fish pie mixture before baking. If desired, you may also put some lemon slices on the side.
This is a relatively healthy, low-fat, low-calorie recipe. If you’re searching for a low-syn or syn-free recipe, it may also be a Weight Watchers or Slimming World fish pie.
Though I haven’t used any Slimming World recipes or followed the program, this may help! We enjoyed this meal when we were trying to lose weight.
This is the most excellent fish pie dish we have ever tried, and the whole family will love it for supper. It’s also relatively healthful. It has grown to be one of our favorite family dinners.
This fish slow cooker dish will be ideal if you’re searching for a simple fish pie recipe for newborns or a creamy fish pie recipe for kids.
It’s fantastic from weaning onwards. All of our recipes to date are available here, and here are two more that could inspire you: Slow Cooker “Lazy” Cottage Pie and Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne.
What Equipment Do You Need To Make A Fish Pie
These are the ingredients and utensils that you will need to prepare a fish pie, although it’s likely that you already have everything you need at home to make one.
Here’s what we do:
- The “slow cooker.”
- A huge cooking pot
- A container for measuring
- Tape measures
- A wire whisk
- A vessel that can be baked in.
A potato ricer or a potato masher, which is what we always use and recommend.
You can proceed with the preparation of this delicious fish pie. This is one of our favorite seafood dishes in the slow cooker, which the whole family enjoys.
Final Thought
Now that we have established fish should not be cooked before making a fish pie, is it essential to prepare the fish ahead of time for the Nursery Fish Pie? Indeed, 30 to 40 minutes in the oven is sufficient.
Why heat it till the topping is as browned as you like it if it’s already cooked? I adore this dish and use cooked pancetta and onions in the pie crust.
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