Cod, Leek and Blue Cheese Pie
The Cod, Leek and Blue Cheese Pie is the ultimate comfort food feast.
Makes 4
For the cod
400ml semi-skimmed or whole milk
100ml fish or chicken stock
¼ bunch thyme
½ bulb garlic, peeled and halved crossways
1 bay leaf
500g cod
For the rest
100g Country Life Unsalted butter
½tsp salt
2 leeks, white part only, sliced
100ml chicken stock
50g plain flour
125g your favourite blue cheese, crumbled
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
1 medium free-range egg yolk
4 puff pastry discs, 3mm thick, to overlap the rim of each pie dish by 1cm
Method
1. Place the milk, stock, thyme, garlic and bay leaf in a deep non-stick frying pan and warm gently; do not boil.
2. Season the cod, then add it to the liquid and allow to poach gently for 5-8 minutes, until it is just cooked through and flakes easily. Remove the fish and lay on paper towels. Strain the poaching liquid through a fine sieve and reserve.
3. Put 50g of the unsalted butter in a deep frying pan over a moderate to high heat. Add the leeks, season well and cook for 3-5 minutes until lightly coloured. Add the chicken stock and cook the leeks for a further 5 minutes until almost cooked through, then set aside.
4. Melt the remaining unsalted butter in a medium sized saucepan over a moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Add a little of the fish-poaching liquid and whisk well. Add the remaining liquid and continue to stir until the mixture has thickened and has lost the raw flour taste.
5. Divide the cod, leeks and blue cheese evenly between four individual pie dishes. Add the parsley to the white sauce, adjust the seasoning if necessary then spoon into the pie dishes.
6. Brush the top of the inside of each dish with a little egg yolk, then lay the pastry over the top, sealing it at the top edge and over the dish. Slice the excess pastry off. At this
stage either put the pies in the fridge to bake later, or preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
7. Before baking, brush the pastry lids with egg yolk and make two slits for the steam to
escape. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden. Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
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