Potato-topped snapper and fennel pies  

 

The beauty of this pie is that it can be made in a flash - potatoes stand in for pastry and fish cooks much faster than meat.

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

35 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 40g butter, plus extra 40g, melted, to brush
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 leek, white part only, cut into 1cm pieces
  • 1 small fennel bulb, cut into 1cm pieces
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbs plain flour
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 250ml (1 cup) milk
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) pouring cream
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp finely chopped dill
  • 1 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 600g snapper fillets, skinned, pin-boned, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 2 sebago potatoes, peeled

Method

  1. Heat butter and oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add leek, fennel and garlic, and cook, covered with a lid, for 8 minutes or until the leek is translucent and fennel is tender. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then gradually add wine and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Gradually add milk, increase heat to low–medium and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a simmer and is thick. Add mustard, cream, lemon zest and herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine, then bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Add fish to cream mixture and stir gently to combine. Cook over low heat for 1 minute, then spoon mixture into 4 x 250ml (1-cup) ovenproof dishes or a 1L (4-cup) ovenproof dish.
  3. Preheat oven to 180C. Using a sharp knife or mandolin, cut potatoes into 2mm-thick slices. Brush one side of potato slices with extra melted butter and place, buttered-side up, overlapping, on top of the pies. Brush with extra butter and season with salt.
  4. Place pies on an oven tray and bake on the top shelf of the oven for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Leaving pies in oven, preheat grill to medium, then grill for 5 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and golden.