COMFORTING FISH PIE

Serves 4

You will need:

1kg (2¼lbs) rooster potatoes, peeled 150g (5oz) butter Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced 6 spring onions, trimmed and chopped 2 stalks celery, finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced 250g (9oz) cod 250g (9oz) smoked coley Juice of ½ lemon 200ml (7fl oz) sour cream 285g (10¼oz) sweetcorn 20g( ¼oz) flat-leaf parsely, finely chopped Put the peeled potatoes into a large pot of salted cold water and put the pot on a high heat on the hob. Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain them, then add the butter to the pot and mash the potatoes until they are smooth — add a little salt too, if desired. While the potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6, and heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the finely diced carrots to the pot, as well as the chopped spring onions, and the finely sliced celery. Saute them over the heat for about 5-10 minutes until they are softened, then add the finely sliced garlic. Check the cod and the smoked coley for any fine bones, then cut it into chunks and add the fish chunks to the pot. Stir it over the heat for about five minutes to allow the fish to cook, then add the lemon juice. Allow it to cook for a couple more minutes, then stir in the sour cream, the sweetcorn, and the finely chopped flat-leaf parsley. Bring the creamy sauce to just under the boil, then remove it from the heat. Pour the filling into a deep ovenproof dish — I used an oval one 30cm x 15cm (12in x 6in) — then top it with the mash. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top of the pie is golden and slightly crunchy.