Dinner tonight: smoked haddock and potato pie

Fish pies often include butter and cream in the filling. This one cuts back on calories by using milk thickened with cornmeal, which adds a delightfully nutty flavour. Sliced potatoes and cheddar cheese make crisp topping.

Prep time 30 min 

Cook time 55 min 

Serves 6

• 550 ml (2 1/4 c) plus 45 ml (3 tbsp) milk
• 500 g (1 lb) smoked haddock fillets
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large leek, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 450 g (1 lb) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 0.5-cm-thick(1/4-in-thick) slices
• Boiling water
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) cornmeal
• 500 ml (2 c) watercress, thick stalks removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 125 ml (1/2 c) coarsely grated cheddar cheese
• Chopped parsley

1. Pour 550 millilitres (2 1/4 cups milk) into a 30 centimetre (12 inch) skillet. Add the haddock and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook until the haddock is just cooked, about five minutes.
2. Lift out the fish with a slotted spoon and allow to cool slightly, then peel off the skin and break the flesh into large flakes. Set aside.
3. Strain the milk, reserving 500 millilitres (two cups) of the liquid and the bay leaf.
4. Place the leek in the skillet and add the reserved milk and bay leaf. Cover and simmer until the leek is tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pot, adding enough water to cover them. Boil until they are just tender, about eight minutes. Drain gently.
6. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
7. Remove the bay leaf from the leeks and discard.
8. Mix the cornmeal with the remaining 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) milk in a cup to make a smooth paste. Add to the leek mixture and cook gently, stirring, until slightly thickened, two to three minutes.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the watercress, allowing it to wilt. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the haddock, folding it in gently. Transfer the mixture to a 18 centimetre (nine inch) pie plate.
10. Arrange the potatoes on top of the fish mixture, overlapping them slightly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and let stand for about five minutes before serving.

• To make spinach fish pie, use two sliced leeks and replace the watercress with baby spinach leaves.
• Add the spinach to the potato slices for the last one to two minutes of the boiling time. Drain well.
• Make a layer of the potatoes and spinach on the bottom of the pie dish.
• Spoon the hot fish and leek filling over the top and bake for 25 minutes, reserving the cheddar.
• Sprinkle with the cheese, and broil until bubbly and golden, for five to 10 minutes.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!