Fisherman's Pie

Does anyone mind if we just turn this blog into a recipe, stories and book club post for the day? 📕 2020 has been the year of the audio book for me.  I'm averaging 3 audio books a week and now I'm wondering why it took me so long to jump on the audio download game.  I work from home and I spend a great deal of time doing somewhat menial tasks in my kitchen.   So why not listen to someone read me a book while I chop vegetables?  

Thanks to COVID, I've learned to use Libby as my source for my audio downloads.  I love it. Some of my most favorite books lately have been Dream Big (Bob Goff), Present over Perfect (Shauna Niequist), That Sounds Fun (Annie F. Downs),  Eat a Peach (David Chang), Forgiving What You Can't Forget (Lysa TerKurst), Dial A for  Auntie (Jesse Q. Sutanto) and Death By Chocolate Milkshake (Sarah Graves). 🤣  (I can't resist a good culinary mystery.😅)  I enjoy reading memoires and I really like inspirational and Christian non-fiction books.  This is where the book club part of this post comes in - I need you to send me your book suggestions.  What have you read lately that you just couldn't put down?

I'm naturally drawn to books about food.  My family considers it a form of torture when we're on a long car trip and I turn on an audio book at describes food and the experience of eating in great detail. 🤣  You know the books that I'm talking about.  The books that have ridiculously lengthy descriptions about a particular food or the process of preparation.  The ones that have recipes at the end of each chapter.  I LOVE those books but my less food-focused family members believe that listening to those books has a negative effect on them - it makes them far too hungry.  And to their credit, maybe being trapped in a car for long periods of time, with pretzels as our only snack, isn't the best scenario for a good culinary mystery book. 🚙 🤣

I've been inspired by books to cook all sorts of different recipes.  I made homemade Ramen after I listened to David Chang's memoir.  And Banana Cream Pie Murder and Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder had obvious consequences. 🤣  After I listened to Fanny Singer's memoire, Always Home, I was inspired to make Fisherman's Pie.  Her chronicles of travel, food and family that she experienced growing up gave me all the comfort food vibes.  So here is my Springtime comfort meal - Fisherman's Pie.

Fisherman's Pie
Topping
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 Tablespoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk

Filling
12 ounces jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut in half crosswise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, sliced thin
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 Tablespoons flour
16 ounces clam juice
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound skinless cod fillets, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup fresh parsley

Place potatoes and salt in saucepan and add water to cover.  

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes or until fork tender.

Drain potatoes and return to pan.  Stir in butter and mash.

Whisk together cream and egg yolk.  

Stir into potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 t. salt and baking soda.  Refrigerate.

Melt 3 T. butter in saucepan.  Add onion and thyme and cook until softened.  

Add wine and cook until evaporated.  Add flour and cook 1 minute.  ​

Stir in clam juice, cream, pepper and 1/2 t. salt. 

Bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat and cook until thickened. (10-13 minutes) 

Stir cod and shrimp into sauce.  Cover and cook 4-6 min.  (Stir every 2 min.)

Remove from heat and stir in parsley. 

Transfer to an 8" square baking dish.

Spoon potato topping over filling, starting at edges and working towards center. 

Use a scraper to smooth potatoes.  Use a fork to make a pattern.

Melt 1 T. butter and drizzle over topping.

Place pie under broiler and cook until golden and crusty.  

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

I can't help but wonder what other kinds of fish I could add to this Fisherman's Pie now.  I'm thinking that scallops might be a nice addition.  I'll keep you posted on that trial.  😅
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Ciao!

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