Best of the best.
FISH PIE
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
RECIPE AND FOOD STYLING: POLLYANNA COUPLAND. PHOTOGRAPHS: INDIA WHILEY-MORTON
Aspectacular 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).