Healthy Fish Pie with Crushed Chive and Cheddar Potato Topping

Fish pie is a classic for a reason, but my version is a little bit lighter than most thanks to a crispy crushed potato topping instead of your typical mash. I personally prefer the crushed potato version as it gives you some texture whereas more classic versions can all be quite soft when mash is used for the topping. You can use whatever fish mix you like, but for me smoked haddock is a must in there to give you a slight smoky flavour, while chunks of haddock, cod or salmon would also work well. Prawns just make it feel that little be more luxurious. I made the creamy sauce using the poaching liquid from the fish, and with plenty of nutmeg, mustard, bay and black pepper you’ve got a base with plenty of flavour. Chives and cheddar cheese add colour and flavour to the topping, while a good few handfuls of spinach amp up the veggie goodness.

(Serves 6 - £4.13 per serving)

1. Cut 1kg of baby potatoes in half or quarters depending on their size and add to a large saucepan with 1 tsp salt. Boil for 10-15 minutes until cooked then leave to drain.
2. Add 500ml semi skimmed milk to another saucepan with 2 bay leaves, a good grating of fresh nutmeg and plenty of black pepper. Add 600g of fish of your choice cut into large chunks (I used a mixture of smoked haddock and cod). Gently poach the fish for 7-8 mins over a low heat until just cooked. Drain, reserving the poaching milk. Set the fish aside.
3. Roughly crush the potatoes using a potato masher and add 50g melted unsalted butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, a bunch of finely chopped chives, 70g grated extra mature cheddar cheese and a good amount of seasoning. Mix well.
4. Fry one finely chopped onion in 1 tsp olive oil and 30g of unsalted butter in a large saute pan or casserole dish until the onion is softened (about 8-10 mins). Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 30g plain flour. Stir for a few minutes to cook out the flour, then slowly add your poaching milk a little at a time until you have a nice smooth sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Once thickened, add one heaped tsp each of wholegrain and dijon mustard, a large handful of chopped flat leaf parsley, the juice of a lemon, and 150g spinach.
5. Add your fish back to the sauce along with 300g king prawns. Stir well, taste to check the seasoning and pour the fish mixture into an enamel or ceramic baking dish.
6. Top with the potatoes until evenly covered, drizzle with extra olive oil and bake at 180C fan/200C for 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are crispy on top and the sauce is bubbling.
7. Leave to sit for 5 minutes before serving in big bowls with some peas and extra parsley on top.