Pouting, Leek & Tarragon Pie

Pouting, Leek & Tarragon Pie

Living as I do, surrounded by some of the finest coastal waters in the world, means I'm never short of beautiful seafood for my larder. There are few experiences better than eating fresh fish landed from a stone's throw away, other than perhaps catching your own. When I drive by a small fishing village and pick up the catch of the day, I know how lucky I am to have ingredients so sparklingly fresh. The last thing I want to do is to mask the delicate sweet flavour that you find only in really good seafood. A cream and herb sauce is all that's needed here, allowing the seafood to be the star of the show.

Ingredients

Spring · Serves 4

  • 4

    sustainably caught fillets of pouting or other white fish, such as hake, ling, whiting or coley

  • 2 small

    leeks, sliced

  • 700ml (1¼ pints)

    whole milk

  • 3

    bay leaves

  • 6

    peppercorns

  • 50g (1¾oz)

    grass-fed butter

  • 60g (2oz)

    plain flour

  • a small bunch

    tarragon, chopped

  • For the topping

    a bunch

    dill, finely chopped

  • zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

  • 400g (14oz)

    breadcrumbs

  • 200g (7oz)

    grass-fed butter

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buy available ingredients
Recipe image

Method

Start by removing the skin from your pouting fillets and cut them into smaller pieces.

Place the fish in a large saucepan along with the sliced leeks. Add the milk, bay leaves and peppercorns and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer, very gently, for about 3–4 minutes, until both the fish and leeks are almost cooked. Turn off the heat but put a lid on the pan.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

To prepare the topping, place the dill in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest along with the breadcrumbs. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and mix well.

In a small pan, melt the butter, then pour it over the crumbs. Stir to coat everything thoroughly.

Remove the fish and leeks from the milk, discarding the peppercorns and bay leaves, but reserving the milk.

Melt the 50g (1¾oz) of butter in a cast-iron casserole dish, then stir in the flour to make a roux. Gradually ladle in the reserved milk and whisk the sauce together. Add the tarragon to the sauce, then the fish and leeks and season lightly. Scatter the buttered breadcrumb mixture over the top and bake for around 25 minutes until golden and crisp.

Spoon into warmed bowls and serve as it is or with a little buttered kale on the side.
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