Seafood Pie

Use a quality seafood marinara mix from the supermarket or your fishmonger for this luscious, celebratory dish.  Or you might prefer a selection of your favourite seafood such as salmon or any firm white fish (cut into cubes), prawns (peeled and deveined), mussels and squid rings.  Throw in a few scallops if you want to be extravagant.  If you already know how to make a béchamel sauce, you are halfway there.  The mashed potato topping can be substituted with ready made puff pastry if you would like a quick finish to the dish.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 750g / 1lb 10oz seafood marinara of your own mix
• 50g / 1¾oz butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 leek, trimmed, sliced
• 1 baby fennel, trimmed, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• ¼ cup plain flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken or fish stock
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill, plus a few dill sprigs for garnishing
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 medium sized potatoes
• ¼ cup cream
• ¼ cup shredded tasty cheese

METHOD

1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
2. Add chopped leek, fennel and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Remove the pan from heat.  Gradually stir in stock, milk and mustard until the sauce is smooth and well mixed with the ingredients.
5. Return the pan to heat and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens.
6. Add the seafood, dill and zest.  Stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer the ingredients to a baking dish.  (There is no need to fully cook the seafood at this stage as they will be going into the oven.)
7. Peel and cut potatoes into quarters.  Boil them in a saucepan in salted water until soft.
8. Drain and return the potatoes to the saucepan.  Add the cream and mix well.
9. Mash the potatoes until creamy and fluffy.
10. Spread the mashed potato over the seafood in the baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese on top.
11. Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden.
12. Garnish with a few dill sprigs on top.