14oz(400g)whitefish fillets, such as haddock, halibut, cod or other whitefish, skinless and boneless, regular or smoked or a mixture, thoroughly thawed *see Note 1
4Tablespoons(56g)butter
3Tablespoons(25g)all purpose flour
10oz(300g)shrimp, or scallops or a mixture *see Note 2
2lbs.(900g)yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered, if large *see Note 4
2Tablespoons(28g)butter
1-2Tablespoonscrème fraiche, or sour cream (optional)
1/8 teaspoonpaprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2-3Tablespoonsheavy whipping cream (35% b.f.) or half and half cream (10%), or half and half, or as needed
For topping before baking:
1/4cup(60ml)Gruyere cheese, shredded
paprika, for garnish
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Instructions
Top Tip! Seasoning is so important to ensure a fabulous Fish Pie! Be sure to season along the way and taste and adjust, as needed. If the Fish Pie tastes a little flat after baking, don't hesitate to season at the table, too.
In a large, deep skillet on the stovetop, add the milk, cream, onion and bay leaf. Season with some salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the fish fillets to the milk and turn on to medium heat. When the milk comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the poached fish from the milk mixture to a 2.5-3 quart baking dish with a slotted spoon or a regular spoon without removing any of the milk mixture. Use a spoon to break the fish up into smaller pieces, if necessary. *My baking dish shown here is 9" round and 2 1/2" high. It was a snug fit :) Use any baking dish that allows the filling to be at least 1" lower than the top, to allow room for the mashed potatoes.
Using a strainer, strain the milk mixture into a bowl or large measuring cup, discarding the solids and reserving the milk. Set the milk aside.
In the same skillet used to poach the fish, melt the 4 Tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When melted, add the 3 Tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add about 1/2 of the reserved milk mixture to the pan and whisk until smooth, then add the remaining milk. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes.
Remove skillet from the heat and add the cheese, Stir until the cheese has melted, then add the shrimp and/or scallops, if using and the nutmeg. Take a moment to taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper, as needed.
Pour the mixture over the cooked fish in the baking dish. Allow to stand just until the steam subsides a bit, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour, while you make the mashed potatoes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, then add the potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender when tested with a knife.
Preheat oven to 400F (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Let stand to dry for about 5 minutes, then mash with a potato masher. Add the butter, creme fraiche, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir to combine. Add the cream a bit at a time, stirring in, until you have creamy and smooth, but still firm mashed potatoes. Add only as much cream as needed.
If piping the mashed potatoes, fill a piping bag and use a large star tip to pipe the potatoes on top of the chilled filling. Otherwise, spoon dollops of the potatoes on top of the chilled filling and spread evenly over-top. Use a fork to make ridge marks across the top of the potatoes.
Sprinkle the additional Gruyere cheese over-top of the potatoes and sprinkle with paprika. *At this point, you can wrap well and refrigerate to bake within 24 hours or freeze, really well wrapped, up to 3 months. I prefer to bake fish pie on the same day it was assembled.
Place the baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubble-overs.
Bake the fish pie in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden.
Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with peas or another green vegetable or it's also nice with a side salad.
Promptly refrigerate any left-overs, well-wrapped, for 2 days.
Notes
Note 1: You can use any fish you have or enjoy, but whitefish is always a good choice. I used Haddock here, but Halibut and Cod are also good options, as is salmon. You can use regular or smoked fish or a mixture. Fresh fish is best, but frozen fish will work. Be sure to thaw frozen fish thoroughly and pat dry well with paper towel. Wet fish may make for a runny fish pie.Note 2: I love to add shrimp and/or scallops to fish pie. You can use just shrimp, just scallops or a mixture. Note! If you plan to freeze the fish pie, avoid adding previously frozen shrimp or scallops, as it is not recommended to re-freeze them. If you'd rather not add seafood, add a similar weight of additional fish instead.Note 3: I love the flavour of Gruyere cheese in fish pie, but other cheese, such as Emmental or a nice aged white cheddar would also work. You can also omit the cheese if you prefer.Note 4: I generally use yellow-fleshed Yukon Gold potatoes, but baking potatoes, such as Russet, can also be used for mashed potatoes. Use whichever you prefer.Variations:If you like hard boiled eggs in your fish pie, boil 3-4 eggs, quarter and add to the filling. Note! It is not recommended to freeze hard boiled eggs, so if you plan to freeze your fish pie, it is best to omit the eggs.