Fish Pie

Recipe by: Andy Allen - Contestant Serves: 6

Ingredients

Rough puff pastry

125g unsalted butter, cold, chopped

125g plain flour

60-70ml iced water

White roux

25g butter

20g flour

Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil

20g butter

1 garlic clove

1 small fennel bulb, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 purple potato, diced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

125ml white wine

500ml homemade fish stock

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped chives

Juice of 1/2 lemon

20g butter

200ml pure cream

1 tablespoon roux

400g large barramundi fillets, 2cm dice

150g swordfish steaks, 2cm dice

40ml milk, for brushing

Method

Preparation: 50 minutes Cooking: 60 minutes 1.Preheatovento220C.Grease6xcupcapacityramekins. 2. For pastry, sift flour onto a clean surface, sprinkle butter over the flour and cut butter into the pastry using 2 pastry cutters until butter is in small pieces. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add iced water and bring together until it just forms a dough. The dough should still have butter chunks through it. 3.Rolldoughoutintoarectanglebetweentwoflouredsheetsofbakingpaper.Foldintothirds,turn90,repeat3times,restinthefridge.Chill in fridge for 20 minutes, roll out to a 3mm rectangle, use a cookie cutter to cut pastry to fit snugly over ramekin. To avoid sticking, dip cutter in flour before cutting. 4. For roux, melt butter gently in a small saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, do not allow to colour.

5. For filling, heat oil and butter in a large frying pan and fry garlic, fennel, carrot, potato and thyme for 8 minutes, or until softened. 6. Deglaze pan with wine and once most has evaporated, add stock and reduce by 2/3rds. Add chives and parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice and butter. Pour in cream and roux and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 6 minutes until thick. 7. Place 3-4 pieces of fish in each ramekin, spoon 2 tablespoons sauce over fish, top with puff pastry discs. Brush pastry with milk and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden and puffed. Serve warm.

Notes: