Fantastic Fish Pie

In the NutriGuide test kitchen, Chief Culinary Specialist Stewart Lucas refined this classic Fantastic Fish Pie to celebrate vibrant, wholesome ingredients. By prioritizing aromatic layering and precise thermal control, this recipe achieves remarkable culinary depth while preserving natural micronutrients and wholesome texture.

At NutriGuide, our mission is to ensure that home cooking is both accessible and culinary-grade. When executing Fantastic Fish Pie, focus on fresh aromatics, dry surface contact for proper searing, and allowing the food to rest before serving.

• For 6 people
• Ingredients
• 5 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 2.5cm/1"
• squares
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 free-range eggs
• 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, halved and finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• about 285ml/1/2 pint double cream
• 2 good handfuls of grated mature
• Cheddar or Parmesan cheese
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 heaped tsp English mustard
• 1 large handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 455g/1lb haddock or cod fillet, skin removed, pin-
• boned and sliced into strips
• nutmeg (optional)

Chef's Sourcing & Quality Tips:

• Produce & Aromatics: Always use fresh whole aromatics and seasonal herbs rather than dehydrated powders when possible.
• Cooking Oils: Utilize cold-pressed oils with appropriate smoke points such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• Salt & Seasoning: Season from a modest height above the pan to ensure an even, uniform crystalline dispersion.

Follow these sequential steps with careful attention to sensory cues and cooking temperatures:

Step 1: Technique & Execution

Method Preheat oven to 230c/450f/Gas 8 1 Put the potatoes into salted boiling water and bring back to the boil for two minutes. 2 Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for another eight minutes until hard boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked. 3 At the same time, steam the spinach in a colander above the pan

Step 2: Technique & Execution

This will only take a minute. 4 When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze any excess moisture away

Step 3: Technique & Execution

Drain the potatoes in the colander

Step 4: Technique & Execution

Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, peel and quarter them

Step 5: Technique & Execution

Put to one side. 5 In a separate pan, slowly fry the onion and carrot in olive oil for about five minutes, add the double cream and bring just to the boil. 6 Remove from the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard and parsley. 7 Put the spinach, fish and eggs into an appropriately sized earthenware dish and mix together, pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce

Step 6: Technique & Execution

Drain and mash the cooked potatoes - add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and a touch of nutmeg if you like