Seafood Casserole - Steamed Fish & Mashed Potatoes

I have a paid subscription to New York Times Cooking Online. I am a very frugal person but I came across a 30-day free trial when I read a free article by Melissa Clark about the Instant Pot. Once I had spent enough time looking at the recipes available and seeing the Chefs writing for the cooking section (and making many of those recipes), I knew I could never be without access so now I subscribe. If I could buy a book with all 4000 recipes I would because I like books way more than computer or tablet screens.

I was solo for dinner last night. I had been shopping at Costco for frozen fish that day and I had purchased one 10 pound bag ( $5.95 ) of white onions and a 10 bag of potatoes ( $6.00 ). I went on the NYT recipe search and typed in Potato, Onion, Fish and skimmed the resulting barrage of delicious recipes. One was by Nigella Lawson for Fish Pie.

I just need ideas, I can adapt pretty much any recipe to suit my taste. So this magnificent creation that I consider swoon-worthy started in Nigellas Kitchen and got flipped on its head in mine.

Thoughts while reading the recipe:

1. Too many pots involved--just one pot, please.
2. Poaching fish separately one at a time? Well, I have to boil the potatoes I'll steam the fish over the boiling potatoes in a strainer, lid on top.
3. Bouquet garni? Nope, it's just me. I throw a bay leaf in the potato water and call it a day.
4. Flour, butter, light cream? Well, flour and butter ok, whipping cream more my speed.

So peel 3 potatoes and add salted water and a bay leaf to cover. Add fine mesh strainer and take the haddock, steam it, then remove it. Next, steam the salmon and remove it. The shrimp were precooked. The fish was done before the potatoes were soft.

Remove the potatoes, place in a bowl, and mash with butter and milk to your preferred texture. Strain the water in the potatoes ( using the same strainer you used for the fish ) and set aside in a bowl.

Now make the roux in the same pot you made the potatoes in. Use the butter, flour and fish-potato water and whipping cream.

Then assemble the pie. Put the steamed fish in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Pour the thick roux over the fish. Take the mashed potatoes and place over the top of the roux and make sure to not have any exposed fish-roux on the edge. Bury it in mashed potato. The roux will bubble over so put it on a sheet pan. Bake for 20-40 minutes, until the potato topping is browning and the sauce can be seen bubbling somewhere on the edge or middle.

Serve with a dollop of butter and a sprinkle of parsley on top and faint...

If I had a restaurant this meal would be front and center. Got company coming who like fish? Make this.

I eat on a side plate for portion control but freely admit to taking a second helping of both pie and wine.

Ingredients (2 happy people portions):

1 haddock fillet
1 4 ounce salmon filet
5 precooked shrimp - I used frozen
3 medium potatoes, peeled

4 tablespoons butter -for the roux
4 tablespoons flour - for the roux
1/2 cup cream - for the roux
1/2 - 3/4 cup water ( potato broth )

1-3 tablespoons butter for the potatoes
1-3 tablespoons milk for the potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste


Method: Described above!


~ Hugs from Mum