Fish pie with velouté sauce
A luxurious fish pie, topped with velvety velouté sauce and creamy mashed potato.
Ingredients
For the prawn stock
- 250g/9oz prawn shells
- ¼ onion, peeled and chopped
- ¼ carrot, peeled and chopped
- ¼ fennel, trimmed and chopped
- 1 star anise
- large pinch fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 75ml/2½fl oz white wine
- 750ml/1¼ pints fish stock
For the velouté sauce
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú butter, chilled and diced
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú plain flour
- 625ml/20fl oz prawn stock (see above)
- pinch of salt
- 6 grinds of black pepper
For the mashed potatoes
For the fish pie
Method
To make the prawn stock, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Place the prawn shells, onion, carrot and fennel on a baking tray and scatter over the star anise, fennel seeds and tarragon. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until vegetables are just tender.
Transfer the roasted ingredients to a saucepan and add the wine and fish stock. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Pass the stock through a sieve and set aside.
To make the velouté sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan until foaming but not browning. Stir in the flour gradually and mix until the flour is fully incorporated. Cook out until a roux is formed. Add the prawn stock a little at a time, mixing until smooth with no lumps before adding more stock. Season with the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture slowly to the boil, stirring continuously, and then simmer for 20–30 minutes or until a smooth sauce is formed. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Place the potatoes in lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly. Add the egg yolks and nutmeg and mash together.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 3. Lay the fish and prawns in a deep baking dish and top with the mushrooms, peas and tarragon. Pour over the velouté sauce, top with the mash and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes.