Fish Pie No 2 - My Mumma

A couple of months ago I made Jamie Oliver's fish pie from his new book Jamie's Great Britain. And it was fine... but just fine. Not the amazing, soothing, delicious wonderment that I expect from my fish pie. I'm spoilt - not only is my mum's fish pie awesome but my husband's is also amazing and they are both different so I find it hard to choose which is my favourite.

Anyway when I found Jamie's pie to be a bit meh I thought maybe that's just a reflection of my fish pie taste and everyone's different - so I thought I'd put all three on here and you can see which you prefer. Now is the time for the second one - my mum's and it was even better than I remembered it (and she wasn't even happy with the selection of fish she'd got!)

We made it together last weekend and it's really easy and great to prepare ahead if you want - we made the sauce and the mash ahead and reheated when we needed them and had the cheese all grated and ready to go. My mother also pointed out that she thinks my photos on here are pretty crappy. I said you didn't mind - she assured me that you do so I'd like to issue a formal apology and vow to try harder in future... having said that the photos for this were taken on my phone and I am unashamedly using lots of them because it looks so delicious. So there.


My Mumma's Fish Pie

Serves 4

4 hard boiled eggs
350g mixed fish - white and smoked fish preferably. We don't like fresh salmon in our fish pie.
2 large leeks, finely sliced
400ml milk
50g butter
50g flour
2 handfuls of freshly chopped parsley
140g cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp bouillon powder
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. You will need a medium sized pie dish for this. You can buy pre-selected packs of fish pie fish nowadays which is what we used here - all very well except this one had salmon in it. It's ok but a bit tasteless - smoked salmon or trout would be better.

1. Melt the butter and add the leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then soften in the butter, stirring occasionally.

2. While the leeks are softening butter your pie dish and gently heat the milk in a saucepan.

Buttered pie dish

3. Add the flour and bouillon powder to the softened leeks and butter and stir well.

4. Stir in the warmed milk and taste for seasoning.

5. Bring to the boil whilst stirring continuously. Once boiling cook and stir for five minutes, add the parsley as you turn off the heat. If you are making this ahead just leave this sauce to cool and reheat when you need it.

6. Roughly slice the eggs into the bottom of your buttered pie dish and add the fish.

Fish and eggs in pie dish

7. Cover with the leek sauce and then top with the grated cheese.

Leek sauce

Cheese topping

8. Cook uncovered in the oven for about 20 minutes.

9. Serve with mashed potato and peas.