This dish is a traditional British fish pie that combines white fish and prawns in a creamy sauce, finished with mashed potatoes and baked until golden. Mary Berry’s style keeps the flavours clean and comforting, focusing on proper cooking, good seasoning, and a smooth, well-set filling rather than overpowering spices.
White fish fillets (cod, haddock, or pollock) – 500 g, cut into chunks
Raw prawns – 200 g, peeled and deveined
Potatoes – 1 kg, peeled and chopped
Unsalted butter – 50 g
Plain flour – 50 g
Milk – 600 ml
Double cream – 100 ml
Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
Bay leaf – 1
Fresh parsley – 2 tablespoons, chopped
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Salt – to taste
Black pepper – to taste
Cook the potatoes – Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes until soft. Drain and mash until smooth, then season lightly and set aside.
Prepare the fish – Place the fish chunks and bay leaf in a pan, pour over the milk, and gently heat until just cooked. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and reserve the milk.
Make the sauce base – Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the chopped onion, and cook gently until soft.
Add flour – Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw taste.
Build the sauce – Gradually whisk in the reserved milk, then add the cream, stirring until smooth and thickened.
Season the sauce – Add salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
Assemble the filling – Gently fold the cooked fish and raw prawns into the sauce.
Transfer to dish – Spoon the mixture into a baking dish and level the surface.
Top with mash – Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling.
Bake the pie – Bake at 190°C (170°C fan) for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Rest briefly – Leave the pie to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Find it online: https://maryberrycooks.co.uk/mary-berry-fish-pie-with-prawns/