This comforting fish pie from Ravinder Bhogal is delicately infused with Indian spices and enveloped in a rich, creamy cheese sauce.
Studded with tender prawns, vibrant spinach and chunky hard-boiled eggs, it’s a wonderfully flavourful twist on a classic.
Served alongside simply steamed broccoli and carrots, it makes a hearty and deeply satisfying meal.
SPICED FISH PIE
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
200 g spinach leaves
2 tbsp oil 2
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped
1 heaped tbsp Madras curry powder
a generous pinch saffron threads (opt)
300 ml double cream
100 g mature cheddar, grated
juice of 1 lemon
large handful chopped coriander
450 g firm white fish fillet, skinned and pin-boned
200 g peeled raw prawns, deveined
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
sea salt and black pepper
For the topping:
40 ml whole milk
40 ml double cream
1 garlic clove, bruised
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 small onion, studded with 4 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp smoked hot paprika ½ tsp
750 g floury potatoes, peeled and diced
75 g butter
2 egg yolks (opt)
METHOD:
First make the topping. Put the milk and cream into a small saucepan and pop in the garlic, peppercorns, clove-studded onion, bay leaf, turmeric and paprika. Slowly bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse while you get on with the potatoes.
Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 180C fan/gas mark 6.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook until tender.
Steam the spinach for the filling in a colander above the pan of potatoes until wilted, then allow to cool slightly and squeeze out any excess moisture with your hands. Chop roughly.
Drain and mash the potatoes until smooth and lump-free. Beat in the butter and egg yolks, if using. Strain the infused milk and cream, discarding the solids, then slowly pour into the mash and combine thoroughly.
For the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the onion, leek and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until pale and translucent.
Add the garlic, curry powder and saffron, and cook for a further 30 seconds, then pour in the cream and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, lemon juice, coriander and salt and pepper to taste.
Put the spinach, fish, prawns and eggs into a pie dish and pour over the sauce. Top with the mash and bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Serve at once
