This essentially is a seafood version of shepherd’s pie. We took inspiration from this recipe: https://www.sandraseasycooking.com/2019/06/easy-fisherman-pie.html, but we halved the ingredients and used our own mashed potato topping. First, preheat oven to 375. At the same time, boil two eggs until they are hard-boiled, and then set aside for later use. To prepare the fish filling, take 1.5 total of firm fish fillets (we used ½ lb skin-on salmon filets and 1 lb skinless cod fillets) and place them in a wide saute pan (we used an All-Clad straight-walled stainless steel pan). Add 1 finely chopped shallot (about ¼ cup). Pour up to 2 cups of milk to cover the fillets (we used exactly 2 cups). Place on medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer to poach for 5 mins. Second, carefully remove the filllets from the pan, pat dry, and gently place them in a single layer in a 8×8″ baking dish. (To evenly distribute the two types of fish, we gently cut each cod fillet in half and the salmon fillets into thirds; we also removed the salmon skin and discarded it at this point.) Pour the poaching milk into a bowl, then carefully set aside 1 cup of the milk (including the shallot bits) and reserve the rest of the milk (at least ½ cup) for later use. Third, While the fish is simmering, bring a medium pot of water to a boil (this will be for the mashed potatoes). Fourth, prepare the white sauce for the filling: Wipe milk residue out the large saute pan, then melt 1 Tbsp unsalted butter on medium heat. Whisk in 2 Tbsp flour to make a roux. When smooth, pour in 1 cup of the poaching milk until the gravy is smooth. Add 1.5 oz (about 2-3 Tbsp) grated cheese (we used thick-cut mild white cheddar) and whisk until the gravy is smooth and thick. Add 1-2 tsp lemon juice (we used juice from about ½ of a lime) and whisk together. Remove from heat. Gently pour the white sauce over the fish fillets in the baking dish. Fifth, slice the hard-boiled eggs (we used a manual egg slicer) and then distribute evenly over the filling. Then sprinkle with 2 Tbsp finely minced parsley. Sixth, prepare the mashed potatoes: peel 5 medium potatoes (we used 3 Yukon and 2 Russet) and cut into large (about 3″) chunks. Place in the pot of boiling water, and cook until tender (about 10 mins). Drain, then place in a large mixing bowl. Add up to 3 Tbsp butter (cut into a few slices) and gently mash. Fold in up to ½ cup of the reserved poaching milk, mashing until the potatoes are smooth and fluffy. Season with salt and black pepper. Using a spatula, gently layer the mashed potatoes over the fish-egg-parsley filling. Seventh, place the baking dish on a foil-lined baking sheet, then bake at 375 for about 45 mins. When finished baking, let sit for 10 mins before serving. (Aug. 2020)
Cooking Adventures 