Winter Fish Pie with Garlic & Fennel

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup (80ml) Olive Oil
3 Onions, thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1 Large Fennel Bulb, core removed, thinly sliced
3/4 Cup (185ml) White Wine
3 Potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
2 Cups (500ml) Chicken Stock
3/4 Cup (185ml) Thickened Cream
2 x 375g Packets Puff Pastry, thawed
300g Skinless Ocean Trout Fillets, pin-boned, cut into large pieces
950g Skinless Snapper Fillets, pin-boned, cut into large pieces
6 Large Green Prawn Heads
6 Large Green Prawns, peeled and halved
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Bunch Sorrel Leaved, leaves torn and stems discarded
1 Egg, Beaten
Salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

*** Inspired by Andrew McConnell’s traditional fish pie recipe with a winter twist

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan.

Gently cook the onion, garlic and fennel, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until softened.

Add the large green prawn heads and cook until pink, about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat and add the white wine and simmer for 5 minutes or until almost reduced.

Add the potatoes and chicken stock and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the stock has reduced by two-thirds.

Increase the heat again and add the thickened cream. Bring to the boil, then remove the saucepan from the heat.

Remove the large green prawn heads and tip the mixture into a stick blender.

Puree the sauce until smooth.

Strain sauce through a fine sieve and season to taste.

Transfer the sauce into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill completely.

Preheat oven to 190C fan-forced (210C conventional).

Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface until 3mm thick.

Using a 500ml-capacity dish as a guide, cut out 4 pastry pieces slightly larger than dish. Set aside on a tray.

Combine the large green prawn meat, ocean trout and snapper in a bowl with the lemon zest and sorrel, then divide among four 500ml pie dishes.

Spoon 3/4 cup (185ml) chilled sauce into each dish or enough until two-thirds full, then stir to coat seafood.

Brush the edge of the pie dishes with a little water and place the pastry over the top.

Press the pastry lightly onto the rim of the dishes with a fork, then trim excess pastry with a knife.

Brush with beaten egg and using a small knife, score the top of each pie.

Pierce a couple of hole in the top of each pie to let the steam escape and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the seafood is cooked.

Serves: