Fantastic Fish Pie

Ingredients

• 6 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch squares
• 2 free-range eggs
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach, trimmed and washed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, halved and finely chopped
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 good handfuls grated mature Cheddar or Parmesan
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
• 1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 pound haddock or fresh cod fillet, skin removed, pin-boned and sliced into strips
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Nutmeg, optional
• Serving suggestions: peas, greens, baked beans, and tomato ketchup

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Put the potatoes into salted boiling water and bring back to a boil for 2 minutes. Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes until hard boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked. At the same time, steam the spinach in a colander above the pan. This will only take a minute. When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze any excess moisture away. Then drain the potatoes in the colander. Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them. Set aside.

In a separate pan slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add the heavy cream, and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard, and parsley.

Put the spinach, fish and eggs into an appropriately sized earthenware dish and mix together, pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce. The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed, add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a touch of nutmeg, if you like. Spread on top of the fish. Don't bother piping it to make it look pretty, it's a homely hearty thing. Place in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden. Serve with some nice peas or greens, not forgetting the baked beans and tomato ketchup. Tacky but tasty, and that?s what I like.