Golden Fish Pie

  • 1 1/2 lb. whitefish fillets
  • 1 cup milk
  • Flavoring ingredients (onion wedges, bay leaf, peppercorns)
  • 6 oz. small shrimp, peeled & cooked
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup cream
  • 3 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup watercress leaves, chopped
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 6 sheets filo pastry
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Place fish fillets in a saucepan. Add milk and flavoring ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer until fish is almost tender. Remove fish from saucepan, skin and bone the fish and flake into 2 shallow oven proof dishes. Scatter the shrimp over the fish. Strain milk and reserve. Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a pan. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in reserved milk and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring, then simmer until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Gruyere, watercress, mustard and seasoning to taste. Pour over fish and let cool. Preheat oven to 375F. Melt remaining butter. Brush 1 sheet of filo pastry with a little butter, then crumple loosely and place on top of the filling. Continue with the remaining filo until pastry is golden and crisp.