Saturday, 31 July 2010 11:17
It's rare that a Head Chef will share their true recipe for a masterpiece...but that's exactly what Simon Sandall of Operapoint Events has done here! This is old school Fish Pie at it's very classic and elegant best!
Preparation Time: 30-35 min. Cooking Time: Approx 1 hour
Serves: 6-8 Skill Level: Challenging...But worth the effort!
INGREDIENTS
900 grams Blue Eye cod fillets (diced)
8 scallops (cut in half)
8 pearl onions, peeled
50 ml olive oil
1 leek, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 stick celery, diced
500 ml fish stock
50 ml dry vermouth
30 grams butter diced
30 grams plain flour
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tblspn parsley, chopped
1 tblspn dill, chopped
600 grams puff pastry (rolled to 5 mm thick)
2 egg yolks
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. Place the pearl onions in a saucepan and cover with water. Place on medium heat and gently cook for
approximately 10-12 minutes or until tender. Strain and set aside. Heat the fish stock in a saucepan.
3. Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the leeks, garlic, thyme, bayleaf and celery and
cook gently for approximately 5 minutes until tender (without allowing them to colour).
4. Add the dry vermouth and cook on medium heat for a further approximate 7 minutes until the liquid is almost evaporated.
5. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme from the mixture.
6. Add the diced butter and flour stirring constantly until incorporated and then cook for a further 3 -4 minutes to
ensure the flour is completely cooked through.
7. Add the hot fish stock a ladle at a time until all is used, stirring continually while you add the stock, once all the fish stock is added cook
for a further 2 – 3 minutes until a thick sauce consistency is achieved. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to cool.
8. Once it is cooled to room temperature, add the lemon zest, dill, parsley, cooked pearl onions, the blue eye
cod and scallops and fold together. Place the fish mix into the oven dish.
9. Using the top of the oven dish for measurement, cut out the required shape of puff pastry ( ensure it is
slightly larger than the top of the oven dish) then using the back of the spoon, press into the pastry all over to
resemble the scales of a fish.
10. Mix the egg yolks, a splash of water and a pinch of salt together. Using a pastry brush, paint lightly around
the dish then place the pastry on top of the oven dish and press down on to the sides to seal.
11.Place in the oven for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 190°C and cook for a further 10 – 15 minutes until the pastry is
golden brown.
12. Serve and Enjoy!