MAXINE GORDON suggests an easy fish pie for supper.

FISH pie can be a faff, but this is so easy and so tasty and nutritious, you have no excuses not to make it for a family supper.

The method comes from Mary Berry, but I have played around with the ingredients to boost the veggie quota (great if you are really going for your five a day).

You can prepare this 24 hours in advance and keep in fridge: but it will take longer to cook.

It is a one-pot meal in itself.

Fish pie


Serves 4

Ingredients:

Around 400g of mixed fish (salmon fillet, haddock fillet and undyed smoked cod, all skinned and sliced into 5cm/ 2in cubes – you can often pick up a ‘fish pie mix’ selection at your favourite supermarket which would be ideal for this)
225g (8oz) broccoli florets (lightly steamed or par-boiled for a few minutes first, they should still have a bite)
1 small tea-cup of  peas (defrost first if using frozen)
200-300ml half-fat creme fraiche
1 tbsp cornflour
75g (3oz) Parmesan, grated (half for sauce/half for topping)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to season
3 large sweet potatoes (for mashing)
2oz grated Cheddar (for topping)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas Mark 7. You will need an ovenproof dish.

2. Mix the cornflour with three tablespoons of the creme fraiche in a large bowl, then add the rest of the creme fraiche. (The cornflour acts as a stabiliser and stops the half fat creme fraiche from being too runny).

3. Now add half the Parmesan cheese and the mustard to the creme fraiche mix. Fold in the fish, broccoli and peas. Season with salt and pepper and spoon into an ovenproof dish.

4. Top with mashed sweet potato and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and Cheddar.

5. Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until nicely golden on top.