Norfolk Fish Pie with Samphire
A comforting coastal classic of flaked smoked haddock, tender white fish, and salty marsh samphire baked beneath golden mashed potato.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Medium saucepan
- •2-litre baking dish
- •Potato masher
- •Whisk
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 520 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the chopped potatoes in a large pan of cold salted water.
- 2
Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until tender, then drain thoroughly.
- 3
Mash the potatoes with 25g of butter until completely smooth and set aside.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional).
- 5
Place the smoked haddock and cod in a wide pan, pour over the milk, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- 6
Transfer the fish to a plate using a slotted spoon, flake into large chunks, and reserve the warm poaching milk.
- 7
Melt 35g of butter in a clean pan, stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute to make a roux (paste).
- 8
Gradually whisk in the reserved milk until smooth, then simmer for 3 minutes until thickened.
- 9
Stir the cream, parsley, and white pepper into the sauce, then take off the heat.
- 10
Scatter the flaked fish and trimmed samphire into the base of a 2-litre baking dish.
- 11
Pour the warm sauce over the fish and samphire, mixing gently to coat.
- 12
Top with the mashed potato, ruffle the surface with a fork, scatter with Cheddar, and bake for 25 minutes until golden.
Chef's tips
Avoid adding extra salt to the sauce because smoked haddock and samphire are naturally rich in salt. Always rinse fresh samphire thoroughly under cold running water to remove any tidal sand or grit. If the top needs extra browning, place the dish under a hot grill for two minutes before serving.
Ingredient substitutions
- marsh samphire → tenderstem broccoli cut into small florets
- cod fillet → pollack or haddock fillet
- mature Cheddar cheese → Norfolk Dapple cheese
Storage
Cool completely and store covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven preheated to 180°C fan for 15 to 20 minutes until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Over-salting the sauce before tasting, which makes the finished dish too salty alongside the samphire.
- •Over-poaching the raw fish early in the recipe, causing it to disintegrate in the oven.
- •Failing to rinse the samphire, resulting in gritty sand inside the pie filling.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Norfolk Fish Pie with Samphire?
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