Smoked Fish Pie has always been a firm family favourite in our house. Growing up Dad used to catch and smoke fish for us but now I have to find my own fish.
Thankfully here in NZ we are lucky enough to be able to get hold of fresh smoked fish at the supermarket. My favourite for this pie is Kahawai as it has a nice strong flavour but feel free to use your favourite fish.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 stick celery, chopped (optional)
1 fennel bulb, chopped (optional)
400g smoked fish (whatever is on special or tinned)
½ tin coconut cream
Water
1 cup frozen peas (&/or corn)
Juice & zest of 1 lemon or lime
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped coriander or fennel fronds (optional)
2 Tablespoon cornflour
Pepper
2 – 3 golden kumara, scrubbed, boiled and mashed (season with olive oil & pepper)
¼ cup grated cheese (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 200C. Grease an oven dish.
In a pot over a medium heat, fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft, with the fennel seeds. Add the celery or fennel bulb if using and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the fish and coconut cream, half fill the coconut cream tin with water and add along with the frozen peas. Bring to the boil, then add the lemon and herbs. Add 3 Tbsp. water to the cornflour to make a runny paste, stir through to thicken the mix. Season with pepper.
Pour the mixture into the greased oven dish. Top with the mashed kumara, and sprinkle over the cheese if using. Bake at 200oC until the top of the pie goes golden.
Note
Make up a double batch, but don’t thicken it, to freeze. Freeze in portions. Just stir a tablespoon of cornflour through the thawed mix before putting into the oven dish. Pop it into the oven to start warming through while you prepare the kumara. Stir a couple of times while it heats through and before you put the kumara top on.