KILLYBEGS FISH PIE
SERVES 8
Fish pie is a real staple of Irish family cooking and everyone has their own way of making it. This is my version and usually results in lots of very clean plates when it comes to washing up! I named it after the wonderful Donegal port which provides us with most of the fish in the house and restaurant.
Ingredients
12 oz / 350 g haddock fillet
12 oz / 350 g smoked cod fillet
10 oz / 275 g salmon fillet, skin removed and pin-boned
1 large bay leaf
11/2 pints / 850 ml milk, gently heated
1 lb 12 oz / 800 g floury potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons basil pesto
2 oz / 50 g butter
8 oz / 225 g leeks, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 pint / 150 ml white wine
2 oz / 50 g plain flour
1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs e.g. parsley, chives and dill
5 oz / 150 g prawns, cooked
and peeled
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 rounded tablespoons breadcrumbs
Seasoning
Method
Preheat the oven to 160ūC / Gas 3. Season the haddock, cod and salmon and place in a roasting tin with the bay leaf and milk. Poach in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the fish flakes easily when tested with a knife. Remove the fish from the tin and take off any remaining skin. Flake the flesh, checking for bones that might have been overlooked. Strain the leftover milk into a measuring jug until you have 1 pint / 570 ml milk (you may need to add in some extra milk if you don't have enough). Discard the bay leaf. Increase the temperature of the oven to 180ūC / Gas 4.
Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes until tender. Drain and return to a low heat to dry out a little. Mash the potatoes and beat in half the butter and half the pesto. Season well.
Melt the remaining butter in a small pot and gently cook the leeks and onion for about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and reduce by half. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the reserved poaching milk and stir until you have a smooth sauce. Season and reduce heat. Add the mixed herbs and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lastly add the prawns, flaked fish, and crème fraîche and cook for 2 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture because the fish will break up and the sauce will go mushy.
Spoon the fish mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish and dot with the remaining pesto. Top it with the mashed potato and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake in the hot oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
To Serve – Place a piping hot portion on a plate or in a bowl - comfort food at its best!
* Tip – Whenever you're cooking fish, keep end-bits or leftovers and freeze them in a bag. That way, when you come to make this pie, you will already have a selection of fish. Feel free to adapt this recipe to include your own or your family's favourite fish.
BREADED BACON CHOPS WITH A BUSHMILLS SAUCE
SERVES 4
It's always good to break out the traditional fare when you have guests from abroad eating with you. This is what we serve visiting relatives and friends. They love to taste authentic Irish food and there's nothing as Irish as "bacon and cabbage"!
Ingredients
1 lb / 450 g loin of bacon
1 egg beaten with some milk
1 rounded tablespoon seasoned
plain flour
4 oz / 110 g white breadcrumbs
3 oz / 75 g butter
1 fl oz / 25 ml olive oil
4 slices fresh pineapple
1/4 head Savoy or York cabbage, sliced
Seasoning
Whiskey Sauce
8 fl oz / 225 ml water
4 oz / 110 g sugar
2 tablespoons Bushmills (or any whiskey)
Method
Place the bacon in a pot of cold unsalted water and bring to the boil. If the water is still very salty, repeat this process. Then simmer the bacon on a medium heat for a further 30 minutes, or until a skewer stuck in the meat has just a little 'give' to it. Take the bacon from the pot and drain well. Trim off any excess fat, cut the bacon into 4 chops and dry with kitchen paper. Dip each chop in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip the chops into the egg mixture and finally cover the chops with the breadcrumbs, making sure they are coated thoroughly. Set aside for now.
Now make the whiskey sauce by putting the sugar and water in a saucepan and bringing to the boil. Keep the heat on and wait until it is a deep golden colour. This should take about 8-10 minutes, but stay nearby as it happens very quickly and do be careful as this sauce is very hot. When the colour is deep enough add the whiskey. It'll steam up and then cool into a thick lumpy sauce. Keep on a low heat stirring until the sauce becomes smooth.
Place the pineapple rings under a hot grill until the juices caramelise and the pineapple browns. Keep warm until serving. Next prepare the cabbage. Heat 1 oz / 25g of butter in a large frying-pan over a moderate heat. Stir in the cabbage and a tablespoon of water and fry for 4 minutes until soft. Season to taste.
To fry the chops, heat the olive oil and the remaining butter in another frying-pan. Fry both sides of the chops until golden.
To Serve Lay out the chops in a fan shape on a large heated serving dish. Place the cabbage and the pineapple rings alongside, and drizzle with the Bushmills sauce.
*Tip – This basic caramel sauce will keep in the fridge for weeks in an airtight container. If you want a plain sweet caramel sauce, just substitute the same quantity of cold water for the whiskey to stop the caramelising.
