Rick’s Newlyn fish pie

THIS is not a classic fish pie in that it doesn’t have a topping of mashed potatoes: I use breadcrumbs and lots of Parmesan and pepper instead. It’s always been hugely popular in my restaurants. I regard it as a gift that just keeps on giving. SERVES 4-6

200g onion, finely chopped 60g butter 1 quantity veloute (see below right), made with 2 bay leaves, 1 crushed clove, 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg 30g Parmesan cheese, grated 50ml double cream Juice of ½ lemon Salt 500g mixed seafood: aim for ¾ fish fillet and ¼ shellfish or crustaceans, such as prawns, lobster or crab 50g flour 30ml vegetable oil 10g butter 100g button mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 tsp French mustard 1 tsp truffle oil

FOR THE CRUST

50g Japanese panko breadcrumbs or fresh breadcrumbs dried out for 10 minutes in a hot oven

30g melted butter PREHEAT the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Slow-cook the onion in the butter in a saucepan for 10 minutes.

Make the veloute (see recipe above right), adding the bay leaves, clove and nutmeg.

Pour the veloute through a sieve into the sauteed onions and add the Parmesan cheese, double cream and lemon juice, and a little salt if needed. Cut the fish fillet into bite-size pieces, 3-4cm long. Season with a little salt and turn over in the flour.

Fry for 2-3 minutes in a frying pan over a medium heat using the vegetable oil and butter. Remove the fish to your pie dish.

Fry the mushrooms in the same pan adding a little salt; stir in the mustard and add to the pie dish. Now add the shellfish or crustaceans to the pie dish. They can be raw or cooked, but if raw scallops or prawns are large, slice them in half.

Drizzle the truffle oil over. Pour the sauce over the fish.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter, and spread over the top. Bake for 20 minutes.