Dining with an Ostomate: Fish pie

Debbie, our wonderful 'chef to ostomates' is back today with a delicious warming Fish Pie recipe, perfect for cold winter nights. All of Debbie’s recipes are, of course, designed with Ostomates in mind and in case you’ve missed any of her recipes to date, you can find them all in our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group here. So why not put an apron on and get cooking!

This Fish Pie is another family favourite and is one that I have used many times over the last year as it’s a great comfort food. Omit the onions if they upset your stomach. I never use cream, always milk and this has the added benefit that it freezes well. I often divide this into three portions and freeze two in foil containers. I usually defrost them before reheating for 30 minutes but you can reheat from frozen, just add 10 minutes. You can use any fish you like, I usually buy a ‘fish pie mix’ from the fishmonger. If you don’t like prawns, just add more fish.

Fish Pie

Serves 6, easily halved

Ingredients

1kg potatoes

900g salmon & cod fillet (or fish pie mix)

425ml milk

1 bay leaf

25g fresh dill

50g butter

1 large onion, chopped (omit if preferred)

50g plain flour

284 carton double cream (or milk if you prefer)

175g large cooked prawns, defrosted if frozen

140g mature cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2.5 cm chunks. Parboil for 8 – 10 mins until just tender but not breaking up at all. Drain and set aside.
   
   
2. Meanwhile, put the cod and salmon skin-side up in a wide pan, pour over the milk and add the bay leaf. Bring to the boil then simmer for 3 minutes. Cover and remove from the heat. Leave to stand for 5 minutes or until the fish is just cooked then transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Strain & reserve the cooking liquid.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan oven cook from cold at 180C. Butter a 1.4 – 1.7 litres casserole dish. Flake the fish into large chunks, removing the skin and any bones, and put in the dish. Strip the leaves from their stem and snip them into pieces.
   
   
4. Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for 3 minutes or until softened but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the reserved cooking liquid and the cream (or milk). Return to the heat and cook, stirring until thickened, smooth and just boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the prawns and dill. Season with salt & pepper and pour over the fish.
   
   
5. Toss a knob of butter with the potatoes along with 100g of the cheese and season. Scatter the potatoes over the sauce so that it is well covered. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden and the sauce is bubbling.

Missed out on any of Debbie's earlier recipes? Find them all here.

Thoughts on food and cancer, or perhaps a recipe you wish to share? Go ahead and do so using the comments section below. You might also like to join our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group to talk to other Ostomates.