Yummy Fish Pie

Spring is here!

But it's Maine.

Which means some raw, windy, bone chilling days. They just make you want to curl-up with a book and a cozy quilt. After filling your belly with soothing comfort-food!

I fell in love with Maine Saltwater Creation's Haddock Casserole a few years ago, and I've been craving it. I thought I'd try making my own version, but became interested in making a more traditional English Fish Pie. Fillie from Maine Saltwater Creations makes hers with more vegetables and a cheese sauce; it's very delicious (follow the link to check-out all her goodies!). The more traditional English Fish Pie seems to be primarily leek, and fish, in a white sauce. Both Fillie's and the traditional are topped with mashed potato--which puts them into the comfort-food category for me! To the traditional Fish Pie I've added a healthy dollop of ReginaSpices for Seafood & Chowder seasoning--it's a great addition (if I do say so myself!).

Fish Pie

• 2lb Fresh White Fish (I used a chowder mix)
• 1 ½ Cups Fish Stock or Clam Juice
• 1 ½ Cups Milk
• 1 Leek, sliced
• 2 TBL Butter
• 2 TBL ReginaSpices: for Seafood & Chowder
• 2 TBL All-Purpose Flour
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 4ish Cups Mashed Potatoes
• Grated Cheddar Cheese, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350°

Pour milk and fish stock into a large saucepan, bring to a light simmer. Add fish, return to a simmer and gently poach until the fish is cooked (5-7min). Remove fish, set aside. Set aside the milk/stock.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add for Seafood & Chowder seasoning. Stir and let cook for 30 seconds. Mix in the sliced leek, cook until the leek is soft. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring as you sprinkle to avoid clumps. Keep stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan—while you let the flour cook for 1-2mins. Add the milk/stock to the leek/flour mixture, one ladleful at a time; keep stirring, as each ladle of milk/stock is incorporated add another until all the milk/stock is added. Remember to keep stirring. Adding the milk/stock slowly like this ensures a nice thick sauce.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

In an oven-proof dish, place about a cup of sauce in the bottom, then add the fish. Add the remaining sauce—you may not need all the sauce, the mashed potatoes go on top and if there’s too much sauce it will spill-over (I over-sauced and it created a bit of a mess!).

Spread a thick layer of mashed potatoes on top of the fish mixture. Smooth the mashed potatoes with a fork. Then sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top.

Bake for about 30 mins or until it’s browned that way you like it!