Fish Pie

With the weather turning cold I begin to crave ‘proper’ warming food. This fish pie ticks all the boxes for me – it’s really comforting, can be made early and popped in the oven half an hour so so before you want to eat, and fish is great for little brains!
If your Picky Pickers aren’t great fish fans, just serve a very small amount the first time you make this and fill up their plate with other things they like so they don’t feel too overwhelmed. Hopefully it won’t be long before they’re enjoying a full portion and begging for more!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1kg potatoes for mashing
a knob of butter
a splash of milk
75g grated cheddar cheese – maybe start off with mild and build up to mature for Picky Pickers
a pinch of salt
400g mixed fish – I use a frozen fish mix, there’s no need to defrost, you can just pop the fish straight from the freezer into the pie dish. Smoked fish might be a little strong for Picky Pickers so perhaps stick to white fish at least to begin with.
25g butter
25g plain flour
400ml milk
1 teaspoon of English mustard
Optional: a handful of frozen petit pois and/or sweetcorn, chives
Method:
1: Peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces. Boil until soft (about 20 minutes depending on size).
2: Mash the potatoes until smooth and add the knob of butter, the splash of milk and about a third of the cheddar cheese and a pinch of salt. Mix together until creamy.
3: Make a white sauce by melting 25g of butter over a low heat then adding the flour. Mix and cook gently for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, little by little, and stirring constantly to avoid lumps! Bring to the boil and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Mix in another third of the cheese, a teaspoon of mustard and the chives, sweetcorn and/petis pois if using. Take off the heat.
4: Place the fish in a large oven proof dish and pour over the white sauce.
5: Next spoon on the mashed potato and smooth with a fork. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
6: The dish can be put in the fridge overnight if you like or popped straight in the oven at 200 degrees celsius until bubbling and golden on the top (about 30 mins, or 40 from chilled).

Scrummy Mash

Keep things basic for Picky Pickers and gradually add in extra flavours as they become more adventurous. Before long you’ll have them enjoying ‘Grown-Up Mash’ – the ultimate mashed potato in my opinion!

Serves 4 children

Ingredients:

3 medium seized potatoes

Butter

Milk

Salt

Optional: Cheddar chesse and grainy mustard. You could also add some cooked sweetorn, peas or spinach after mashing.

Method:

1: Peel and cut up the potatoes into small pieces.

2: Boil gently in plenty of salted water until the potatoes are cooked through. This will depend on the size of your potato pices, but 20 minutes should do it.

3: Drain the potatoes.

4: Add a big knob of butter and mash up the potatoes using a potato masher or fork. Slowly add milk until the mash is creamyin texture (about 4 tablespoons should be enough).

5: Continue mashing until the potatoes are completely smooth – Picky Pickers can be VERY unforgiving of lumps! Add more milk and butter if necessary.

6: If making ‘Grown-Up Mash’ add a handful of grated cheddar (you might want to start with mild and build up to mature) and some grainy mustard and mix through.

7: Serve with sausages, fish fingers or steaks and plenty of veg. The mustard and cheese version goes particularly well with sausages and onion gravy!