fine dining experience

Cod & prawn pie with saffron potatoes

Elevate fish pie with a touch of saffron to make a meal you can serve to guests without compromising on your healthy eating routine

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow and red pepper, both deseeded and finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 150ml vegetable stock, made with 2 tsp bouillon powder
  • 500g carton passata
  • 240g pack frozen raw, peeled, large wild red shrimp, defrosted
  • 2 x 280g packs skinless cod loin, cut into large chunks
  • 9 pitted green olives, quartered (we used Amfissa olives, as they have a firmer texture)
  • 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
  • 320g broccoli florets or green beans
  • For the saffron potatoes
  • 3 generous pinches of saffron threads (about ⅓ x 0.5g sachet)
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 725g large potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Warm the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and fry the peppers, garlic and bay leaves for 10 mins, stirring often until the peppers have softened.

STEP 2
Meanwhile, prepare the saffron potatoes. Put the saffron threads in a small heatproof bowl with 1 tbsp boiling water, the olive oil and garlic, and stir well until the liquid turns yellow. Set aside. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, and cook the sliced potatoes for 5 mins until tender but not collapsing. Drain well.

STEP 3
When the peppers have softened, sprinkle over the paprika and stir briefly, then pour in the stock and passata and cook for 5 mins more. Remove from the heat and stir in the shrimp, cod, olives and parsley, if using. Tip the stew into a large, shallow pie dish (ours was 30 x 20cm, and about 6.5cm deep).

STEP 4
Arrange the potato slices over the stew in an even layer – they don’t have to be neat – then generously brush over the saffron mixture.

STEP 5
Bake the pie for 30-35 mins until bubbling at the edges and the fish is cooked through. When it’s almost finished cooking, boil or steam the broccoli or green beans to serve alongside the pie.