Batch Cooking

Fish pie

Posted by Rose on

This is a brilliant fish pie to cook in a big batch and pop in the freezer, when you’ve got a bit of spare time. It’s one of my favourite domestic tasks – batch cooking in the kitchen, while catching up on podcasts. It’s a great use of time and you’ll thank yourself when you’re able to just grab a portion out of the freezer after a long day’s work.

If you’re a bit of a messy cook, like me, then this recipe might generate a fair bit of mess (but totally worth it) so keep in mind that you might need a bit of extra time for the clean-up afterwards!

Make in 45 minutes (plus clean up time)

  • Makes 6-8 portions, can be frozen
  • 2 of your 5 a day
  • Can be made gluten free – see note with flour below

Ingredients

  • 2 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 40g butter
  • 40g flour (gluten free if necessary)
  • 8 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 800ml milk
  • 2 packs of fish pie mix (300-400g each)
  • 200g prawns (cooked or raw, but not frozen)
  • 2 tsp mustard
  • handful of chopped parsley and/or chives
  • 220g green beans
  • 195g tin sweetcorn
  • 100g frozen peas
  • handful of grated cheddar cheese

Method

  1. Put the potatoes into a pan and cover with cold water, and bring to the boil.
  2. Cook the potatoes until tender, then drain and mash adding a dash of butter and milk if you wish.
  3. Meanwhile melt the butter in another pan, then add flour, forming a paste.
  4. Add spring onions and cook for a couple of minutes.
  5. Add milk bit by bit, stirring as you go – you’re aiming to make a thick white sauce with no lumps.
  6. Take the sauce off the heat and add in the fish, prawns, mustard, herbs, green beans, sweetcorn and peas.
  7. Spoon the mixture into your containers, adding mash on top.
  8. If eating a portion straightaway sprinkle with cheese and pop in the oven for 30 minutes (200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6). Put the remaining portions in the freezer uncooked.

Tip

It’s easy to cook the pie from frozen – cover the pie with foil and put in the oven on low (160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3) for an hour and a half, before turning the heat up (200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6) for another half an hour.