I then read quite a lot of recipes. I read enough to know that (a) I didn't want my fish to turn rubbery, (b) I didn't want it to taste bland, (c) I wanted a mashed potato topping and (d) I didn't want to make it too fancy with cheese or egg or any of that shizz. Here is what I came up with.
Peel, cut up and boil about four potatoes (or as many as you'll need to cover the top of your pie to your designated thickness) until soft. Mash with a knob of butter, some milk, seasoning, and a good teaspoon of finely chopped fresh dill.
Bring a pint of milk to the boil in a saucepan with a few peppercorns, the dill stalks and some parsley stalks (you'll use the leaves later). Add the fish and poach for five minutes. Meanwhile, put some frozen peas in the dish you'll use for the pie and cover in boiling water. Drain the fish, reserving the milk; drain the peas. Put the peas in the dish with some prawns, if you like...
...then add the fish on top.
Fry an onion in about an ounce of butter until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon and put with the fish. Add a bit more butter to the pan if you need it, then add some flour and stir to make a roux. Add the fishy milk a bit at a time until you have a good thick sauce. Use a little more milk if you need to....my hand might have slipped with the flour.
Stir in a good tablespoon of chopped flat-leaf parsley, and a big handful of fresh spinach. Pour over the fish mixture and stir in.
Layer the potato mixture over the top and add a little grated cheese if you like. Mine was meant to be fish-shaped. Bake at 180 degrees for about half an hour.
And very delicious it was too! I will definitely be making this again.
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