I was watching ‘Masterchef, The Professionals, The Best Bits’ (they really do love dragging the maximum televisual delight out of food programmes don’t they) and there was a discussion about ‘food smears’.
Chef Michel Roux Jr (the skeletal Michelin star chef who obviously has eating issues and mad staring eyes) made an unsavoury (sic) comparison between one poor cook’s chocolate-smeared plate and something else which I won’t mention because I’m British.
However he was making a serious point about presentation. And all this about 10 mins before I was going to hit the pots and pans and make a fish pie. Fish pies are nice enough to eat but from a visual perspective can be a bit bland I think – the contents often end up looking like the insides of the android ‘Ash’ played by Ian Holm in Alien.
With that pleasant analogy in mind I decided to create a fish pie which didn’t deteriorate into a homgeneous gloop once cooked.
Bowie is everywhere these days…
And that required the construction of a Deconstructed Fish Pie! The ingredients are the same as for a a standard fish pie – the difference is in the…well there isn’t any really but anyway…
Ingredients for Deconstructed Fish Pie
- 2 cod fillets
- 1 smoked haddock fillet
- 2 salmon fillets
- Uncooked large prawns
- 1/2 pint milk
- Knob of butter
- Fresh dill, chopped
- Sea salt flakes and ground pepper
- Half a big bag of spinach
- 3 boiled eggs
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- ½ glass white wine
- 1 pack puff pastry
- 1 egg, whisked with a tbsp of caster sugar to wash over the pastry
First off put the milk and butter in a frying pan. Add the fish and chopped dill, season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 mins until more or less cooked.
Remove the fish and set aside. Add the prawns and simmer until cooked.
Pour some of the milk into a cup and whisk in the cornflour. Add back to the pan to thicken the sauce. Add the wine and simmer while you get the pastry ready.
The highly technical process of adding wine to a sauce…
Roll out the pastry on a floured board, but not too thin. Cut out some shapes about the size of a big coffee mat. Place on a baking sheet, brush with the eggwash and put in the oven at about 180 centigrade for about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile wilt the spinach in the microwave. Brush the rest of the eggwash over the fish and pop in the oven for a couple of mins to warm through.
Freaky pastry time…
Now bring the elements of your fish pie together. Get a warm plate. Spoon some of the sauce on to the plate.
Lay some spinach on top of the sauce.
Place a piece of haddock on top of the spinach.
Next bit more sauce and then three halves of boiled egg.
Pop a piece of cod on top of the egg, a bit more sauce and top off with one of the pastry slices. I decided not to include the salmon on this one because it looked like it was going to fall over.
Alright it isn’t really deconstructed – it’s just cooked in bits and then put together. And yes I know the haddock is dyed and no I don’t care! Bowie liked it – look at him shouting for more…
Still the Mrs’ version was probably better – she got a salmony version:
Thank you. I was looking for an unusual fish pie and you have provided a wonder.
How do you get on one of those shows any way? I’d vote for you!
Very kind! Don’t know I think most people have had some training and that sort of thing
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Bowie and deconstructed fish pie! This meal is magnificent! You need to go on one of the shows 🙂 They would love the both of you 🙂
Oh god the thought of dealing with hysterical masterchefs..painful!
You both would find humor and have fun with it 🙂 I watched the new Hell’s Kitchen last night and you just have to laugh!
They are especially nasty to each other in that show – and Gordon Ramsey is like a pantomime villian in it (assuming he still does it)
Wow! First of all, grreat post! I love Brits!!!!!
Secondly, what an amazing deconstructed dish. I’ve eaten many a fish pie in the U.K. and they’re all so good. This one takes the prize!!!
Such kind words! Thanks for liking this one
What an awesome job on presentation – who could find anything wrong with it? I’ve never tried fish with a pastry before but both versions look wonderful. Little problem with one of them though, huh? Do you think it was trying to go for the wine?
I never watch any of the many cooking shows they have over here but have caught a glimpse or two walking by the tv – why is everybody yelling all over the place?
They yell because they are more actors than chefs! I don;t think the pastry that bolted wanted to sit on a pile of fish!
I don’t think I’d want an actor (or a chef) screaming at me while holding sharp objects. As for that pastry – how would you feel about sitting on a pile of fish?
I build this but with a latka instead and hubby loves them. With the sauce I use a cream cheese base. and the salmon is delicious. Never tried the egg with it..that is a new one to try. Thank you.
Yes eggs a staple element of fish pie round these parts – but no one else outside of England seems to do it!
Nice addition of protein I love it. 🙂
Brilliant! You know, your presentation is really good! Um, can I move next door? 🙂
Well you could try but the present occupants might have a word!
Love the one that went all squonky. LIke a slinky! (Did those make it across the pond?)
I know i love that one god knows why it decided to do that maybe it was trying to make a run for it
Oh, I’m so hungry right now… It looks amazing!! 😉
It wasn’t too bad at all – many thanks!
presentation is so beautiful and it looks delish!!! will try to make it…(must get better instructions on the freaky pastry 😉
I loved the one that went awol…
Great presentation indeed! This way it is also easier to keep the pastry crispy rather than soggy.
I don’t really get the egg in there but then again I don’t think I’ve ever had fish pie in my life so who am I to decide what goes in it and what doesn’t.
Try the lobster thing – that would be decadent indeed and you’re right cooking the pastry separately avoided sogginess
I’m loving this. The only place where I digress from your approach is the addition of the eggs. Boiled eggs in a fish pie is very, very British.
Nice job.
Conor
Yes that’s the second time someone has queried the eggs. Wouldn’t do a fish pie without them!
Looks delish! I’m not surprised to hear that Bowie liked it.
Yes he wanted seconds as you can see
These look so good! Michel Roux, Jr couldn’t possibly have anything bad to say about them. And you still have some wine left over.
Many thanks. I do think he’d probably pick up on one or two things though…
Thanks for the enlightenment. I don’t know what an “intact” fish pie is. Both yours and the Mrs.’ versions look good.
No I don’t know either. Often I look at the pictures and have difficulty remembering making the things I’m looking at. The effects of wine maybe…
Outstanding !
Cheers It was fun to bugger around with this one!
Fantastic post – you did a beautiful job with this! (and yes, they do seem to milk those cooking shows for all they’re worth!)
Many thanks – yes I like one called Saturday Morning Live which is really good but they show it on Sunday morning too and it isn’t live. Mind you who cares on Sunday morning I can hardly see anyway
lol! It’s Top Chef here in the States, which has morphed into about 5 other shows. I love the original but have struggled being engaged in the spin-offs.
very smart looking pie you have there!
yes thanks – making it at that time of night i was quite happy the way it turned out!
This would be perfect if you hadn’t spoiled it with boiled egg. lol
Don’t like boiled egg? Personally I could live without the spinach but fish pie needs a bit of colour
Hahahahahah
Looks fantastic
Yes the Mrs did like this one so must have been good!
This dish is beautiful! I’d never think of serving fish pie for a dinner party, but I’m definitely trying this recipe out soon!!! Thanks for sharing!
Yes not a bad idea – and very easy to put together – i think it would improve with practice
You make such beautiful food. I wish I was having this for dinner tonight.
It’s not always so good – sometimes its wine and nuts for dinner!