SMOKED HADDOCK PIE

Serves 6-8.

You will need:

1L (1pt 14fl oz) milk 600g (1lb 5oz) smoked haddock, skinned and cut into large chunks, about 4cms x 4cms (2in x 2in) in size 25g (1oz) butter 1 onion, finely sliced 200g (7oz) unsmoked (green) bacon, cut into ½cm x 2cm (less than ¼in x 1in) lardons 50g (2oz) plain flour 200g (7oz) frozen peas 4 roughly chopped hard-boiled eggs (leave out if freezing) 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 900g (2lb) mashed potato Put the milk in a shallow saucepan and on a medium heat. When it is simmering, add the smoked haddock chunks and poach them gently in the milk for 4-5 minutes until they are almost cooked,

then remove the saucepan from the heat. Drain the mixture, put the haddock chunks in a bowl and set it aside. Keep the poaching milk too, setting it aside for later.

Put a separate saucepan on a medium heat, add the butter, and when it is foaming, add the finely sliced onions and the bacon lardons. Cook them, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until the onions are soft and a little coloured, and the bacon lardons are golden and crisp around the edges. Add the plain flour and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently, Add in the poaching milk you set aside earlier, and whisk as you bring it to the boil, getting rid of lumps of flour — if there are any — then remove the saucepan from the heat.

Next, stir in the frozen peas, the roughly chopped hard-boiled eggs, if you are using them, and the chopped parsley, then gently fold in the haddock chunks. Tip the mixture into a large ovenproof pie dish, about 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12in), then gently cover it with the mashed potato and score the potato with a fork.

If you prefer, you could pipe the mashed potato over the top.

When you’re almost ready to eat, place the smoked haddock pie in an oven preheated to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6. Bake it for 30 minutes until it is golden and bubbling. Then remove it from the oven and serve.

This pie can be made ahead of time and stored, unbaked, in the fridge for up to 24 hours, or of course, it can be frozen.