Fish Pie with Celeriac Mash (4)
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
  2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil with a pinch of salt, and boil the eggs for six and a half minutes, then lift them out and drop into a bowl of cold water.While the eggs are cooking, chop the celeriac flesh into 2.5cm chunks.
  3. Refresh the water in the pan and add the celeriac chunks. Simmer for 20 minutes, lid on, until the celeriac is tender. Drain well and if needed pop back into the pan, off the heat, to finish steaming off any excess liquid.
  4. Add the butter and mustard or horseradish cream, if using, and mash roughly . Season with salt and pepper, pop the lid back on and set aside.
  5. While the celeriac is simmering, heat a wide pan (ovenproof if you have one, or you can transfer the filling to a baking dish later) that’s about two litres volume on a low heat and add the leeks, the bay leaf and one and a half tablespoons of butter.
  6. Fry gently for about eight minutes. If the mixture starts to catch, add a tablespoon or so of water and pop the lid on so it steams. Meanwhile, roughly chop the fish into 2cm chunks.
  7. Once the leeks are softened, pour in the milk, and add a good pinch of salt and pepper, and the fish and prawns. Poach for three and a half minutes on a high heat, then take the pan off the heat and use a ladle to transfer the fish and prawns into a wide bowl. Removed and discard the bay leaf. Pour the milk into a jug.
  8. Put the pan back on the heat and add the final one and a half tablespoons of butter to melt, then add the flour and whisk for around 30 seconds. Pour the milk back into the pan about a third at a time, whisking as you go, as the roux thickens up.
  9. Take off the heat, stir the parsley through and then add the fish back into the pan. At this point you can transfer the mixture to a baking dish if necessary. Peel and quarter the eggs, and place on top of the pie filling.
  10. Cover the pie with the celeriac mash and sprinkle with grated cheddar. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then turn the grill on high for 10 minutes so the topping goes golden brown in spots.
  11. Once it is out of the oven, let the pie rest for 10 minutes before serving up with hot buttered peas.