INGREDIENTS:

Cod, Scallop and Prawn Pot Pie with Lemon and Dill

Here’s a neat little fact – did you know that the flesh of sea-faring creatures like fish, scallops etc are much softer than land-dwelling animals (cows, lamb etc) because of gravity?  They don’t need so much strength to “hold themselves up” hence their muscles are less developed, softer and more pliant.  Also, most fish are pretty chilled out, a little bit of languid swimming here and there with the occasional burst of energy to investigate a tasty morsel of seaweed or to escape from a gawping maw.  Speed racers like tuna, shark and dolphin are the exception, and their flesh is much firmer in keeping with their active lifestyles.

If I were a fish, I’d probably have extremely soft flesh.  I wouldn’t suffer the indignity of having to chase my dinner and would devise clever ways to have my dinner come to me.  In fact, I’d try to move as little as possible, preferring to stare into the murky depths philosophizing about the meaning of life and trying to make sense of it all.  Researching these criteria on the internet, I have discovered my inner fish self is…..

 

 

A bottom-dwelling scorpionfish.  Great.

Rest assured this dish doesn’t have any scorpionfish in it (because that would be akin to...cannabilism?). 

Instead, tender cubes of cod, crunchy prawns and succulent scallops are folded into a creamy lemon and dill sauce and topped with a square of puff pastry.

Lovely, if I do say so myself!

PREPARATION:

SERVINGS: 1 as a main

PREP-to-MOUTH: 1 hour

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Oven, whisk

Leave the puff pastry sheet in the fridge until you’re ready to use it at the end.

First, infuse the milk:

• Add milk, bay leaf, peppercorns and lemon zest into a saucepan and turn the heat on high. When it comes to a simmer, turn the heat down low and leave it to infuse while you prepare the other bits and pieces.

Prepare the seafood and vegetables by:

• Chopping scallops into quarters.
• Peel, devein and chop each prawn into chunks, approx into thirds.
• Slice cod into small cubes, about the size of dice.
• Slice spring onions into little rings.

Preheat the oven to 200°C to warm up while you prepare the filling. You should watch this great little video by Chef's ToolBox on making a white sauce if you haven't done it before.

• Start by pouring the savoury infused milk through a sieve into a measuring jug.
• Melt the Lemon & Dill butter in a saucepan until it starts to froth. Don't let it go brown.
• Sprinkle flour over the mixture, turn the heat down to medium and blend the flour into the butter to form a thin paste. Stir it around for about 2 mins to "cook" the starch out of the flour without going brown.
• Pour half the milk into the flour paste - it will immediately form a very thick paste. Using a whisk, stir vigorously to blend in all the lumps.
• Add the rest of the milk and whisk into a lovely thick sauce.
• When it starts to gently bubble, add the dill, lemon pepper and salt & white pepper to taste. Add 1 squeeze of lemon and taste. If you prefer it tangier, add another squeeze until it's just the way you like it.
• Add the chopped seafood, mixed vegetables spring onions, and gently fold into the sauce.
• Pour the tasty seafood mixture into the aluminum foil tin and allow to cool slightly.
• Remove the puff pastry square from the fridge and float on top of the sauce. I prefer to float, rather than encase the entire foil tin with puff pastry, so that steam from the filling can escape and you can remove the pastry “lid” easily.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40mins until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.

To serve, remove the puff pastry and pour the filling onto a plate. Top with the puff pastry lid and accompany with a crisp green salad.