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Smoked fish pie with butterbean mash

Name: Smoked fish pie with butterbean mash
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: PT30-40M
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 650ml whole milk; 450g sustainable white fish such as pollock, cod, or haddock; 60g unsalted butter, softened; 30g plain flour; Juice 1 lemon; Handful tarragon, finely chopped (or use dill); Handful coriander, finely chopped; 2 large handfuls watercress, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped (optional); 125g sustainable hot-smoked trout; 2 x 400g cans butterbeans, drained and rinsed; You’ll also need; 2 litre ovenproof dish; Food processor or blender

By: Katy McClelland

Published: 18 Oct 21
Updated: 25 Mar 24

Our easy smoked fish pie is topped with butterbean mash for a nutritious, lower-carb take on the family favourite. You can make it ahead, too.

You might also like our lighter cottage pie, which has a white bean and cauliflower topping.

Easy
October 2021

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min

Our easy smoked fish pie is topped with butterbean mash for a nutritious, lower-carb take on the family favourite. You can make it ahead, too.

You might also like our lighter cottage pie, which has a white bean and cauliflower topping.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 499kcals
Fat: 21g (12.3g saturated)
Protein: 41.6g
Carbohydrates: 31.1g (7.9g sugars)
Fibre: 9.9g
Salt: 1.2g

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Ingredients

650ml whole milk
450g sustainable white fish such as pollock, cod, or haddock
60g unsalted butter, softened
30g plain flour
Juice 1 lemon
Handful tarragon, finely chopped (or use dill)
Handful coriander, finely chopped
2 large handfuls watercress, roughly chopped
1 tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped (optional)
125g sustainable hot-smoked trout
2 x 400g cans butterbeans, drained and rinsed

You’ll also need

2 litre ovenproof dish
Food processor or blender

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Method

Heat the oven to 180ºC fan/gas 6. Pour 300ml of the milk into the ovenproof dish and add the white fish. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until almost cooked. Set the fish aside on a plate to cool, leaving the milk in the dish.
Melt half the butter in a pan over a low-medium heat. Add the flour and mix well to make a paste. Gradually add the milk you used to cook the fish, beating in well after each addition to avoid lumps, then add another 300ml milk and mix well. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the mixture has thickened to a custard-like consistency. Season well, then add about a third of the lemon juice with the herbs, watercress and, if using, capers. Pour into the dish, then flake in the white fish and smoked trout, discarding any skin.
Put the beans, remaining milk, butter, lemon juice and some salt and pepper in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Spread over the fish mixture and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden.

Recipe from October 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 499kcals
Fat: 21g (12.3g saturated)
Protein: 41.6g
Carbohydrates: 31.1g (7.9g sugars)
Fibre: 9.9g
Salt: 1.2g

delicious. tips

Easy swaps: Cannellini beans or haricot beans work just as well here. The trout can be swapped for other hotsmoked fish – salmon, mackerel or a combination would work well.
Assemble the pie up to a day ahead and store in the fridge. Bake for 40-45 minutes from chilled.