My Mum's Fish Pie

This is a recipe my mum taught me and has been a family favourite for as long as I can remember.  I was probably weaned on it! It appears in my recipe book as Cod Mornay - posh fish pie to me.  I usually make a basic cheese sauce but if if I am in a hurry or really whacked I use a shop bought cheese sauce from the fridge and cheat.  It still tastes amazing.  If in doubt, buy 2 tubs of sauce so that the sauce isn't lost in the creamy mash.  You'll see from my disintegrating recipe book that it has been modified over the years and mushrooms removed.  I put them in so I will take them out - mum's original is best.  Try it with pollock .... such a tasty fish.   There are so many variations on this adding prawns, boiled egg, spinach, smoked fish, tomatoes..... whatever takes your fancy and is in the fridge.

Ingredients

Fish fillets for 4 people.  I prefer haddock but cod or pollack works well too.

2lb potatoes, mashed with milk and butter until smooth and unctuous. 

1 pint of cheese sauce

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup of milk.

Method

Skin the fish fillets if your trusty fishmonger hasn't bothered.

Add to a shallow pan and just cover them with hot water.  Simmer gently for 4 minutes.

Drain and remove any bones that were missed in the prep and the bay leaves too.

Place the flaked fish into a shallow casserole dish and season.

Mash the boiled potatoes and add the milk and butter that have been heated together and mix together.

Heat the cheese sauce and pour over the fish.

Top with the mashed potato working from the edges of the dish to the centre.

Place in a preheated oven......oops should have mentioned this earlier at 180C for 20 minutes until the potato is golden brown. 

I serve it with peas.