Ingredients
550g (1.25lb) potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 small bay leaf
A few black peppercorns
500ml (17fl oz) low-fat milk, plus extra for the mashed potato
3 free-range eggs
750g (1.75lb) haddock, salmon, cod or whiting fillets from sustainable sources, or use a mixture of smoked and unsmoked fish
100g (4oz) mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon softened butter
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground white pepper
Method
Cook the potatoes in a pan of water for 15-20 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, place the onion in a large pan with the thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes, then strain and put the strained milk to one side.
Drain and mash the potatoes until smooth and add enough milk to give a creamy but firm consistency.
Place the eggs in a pan with water and simmer for 10-12 minutes until hard-boiled, then shell and roughly chop.
Lower the fish fillets into the infused milk, then bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes or until the fish is just tender. Transfer to a plate, then roughly flake, discarding the skin and bones. Strain the milk – you’ll need 350ml (12fl oz) for the sauce.
Place the mushrooms in a small pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside until needed. Melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour and stir over a low heat for 1 minute. Gradually add the strained milk, beating until smooth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until nicely thickened. Season lightly with pepper and stir in the parsley.
Preheat the oven to 180°C /Gas mark 4
Spread a layer of flaked fish in the bottom of the ovenproof dish. Arrange a layer of hard-boiled eggs with a few spoons of the sauce on top of the fish. Top this with a layer of the mushrooms and some more sauce.
Spread the mashed potatoes on top and bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Serve the fish pie straight to the table in its ovenproof dish.
*Optional – for an even healthier option add some steamed kale to the potato topping.