Fabulous Fish Pies with Prawns

After a hot day on Tuesday, yesterday was more like winter again, so winter style comfort food it was! My favourite foods in a pie! I changed this slighty by making one big pie rather than individual ones.

1kg floury potatoes cut into chunks
300ml milk
150 cream
1 bay leaf
450g mixed firm fleshed fish (I used rockling and salmon)
85g unsalted butter
1 small onion
40g plain flour
85ml dry white wine
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons fresh mixed herbs, such as flat leaf parsley, chives and dill
225g raw tiger prawns
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Boil the potatoes until tender for mashing. Put the milk, 120ml of the cream and the bay leaf into a meduim frying pan. Add the fish fillets and poach for 3-5 minutes or until just tender. Transfer to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle, then flake into bite size chunks. Keep the poaching liquid for the sauce.

Melt 25g of the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook f or 4-5 minutes until softened, but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the flour in well, followed by the white wine and the reserved poaching liquid. Reduce the heat, stir in leek and simmer gently for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the herbs and prawns and cook for another minute. Season to taste.

Preheat the grill to medium. Drain the potatoes well, then mash with the remaining butter and cream and season to taste.

Lightly butter 4 x 300ml individual pie dishes. Spread a couple of tablespoonsof the prawn sauce over the base, evenly scatter over the poached fish, the spoon the remaining sauce on top. Carefully spread over the mashed potatoes to cover completely and fluff up with a fork. Place the pies under the grill for 5-6 minutes or until the potato os bubbling and golden. Serve immediately.

As I said, I chose to make one big pie, so I didn't put the prawns in the pan, I put them in the pie raw and then cooked it in the oven for 25 minutes on 180°, they were perfect!

I thought this was very nice and made an excellent lunch today. Sorry, I didn't take a pic.

This recipe comes from Ainsley Harriott's All New Meals in Minutes.