Great British Freeze-Dried Corn Fish Pie

Take an old British classic and give it a twist, with freeze-dried corn fish pie. Although I generally prefer to let the basic ingredients shine, the sweetness and unusual texture of the freeze-dried corn suit this British cold weather classic especially well; it still has that creamy fishy filling but an added depth.

Ingredients:

1 cup freeze-dried corn

600g mixed fish fillets (such as cod, salmon, and smoked haddock), cut into chunks

300ml milk

1 bay leaf

200ml heavy cream

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

50g butter

50g all-purpose flour

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon mustard

100g grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Preparation:

Step 1: Rehydrate the Corn

Reconstitute the freeze-dried corn in the warm water for 5 min. Drain well and set aside.

Step 2: Poach the Fish

Arrange the fish fillets in a deep pan with the milk and bay leaf, and bring it to a gentle simmer to poach (4-5 minutes, until just cooked) before transferring the fish to a holding area and reserving the milk for the sauce.

Step 3: Make the Mashed Potatoes

Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain, mash with the 25g of butter and enough cream to get a smooth, creamy texture, season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Prepare the Sauce

In a separate pan, melt the other butter and cook the onion gently until soft. Stir in the flour to form a roux, cook for a minute then whisk in the reserved milk, stirring as it thickens. Add mustard, season with salt and pepper and the sauce is complete.

Step 5: Assemble the Pie

Flake the poached fish into the dish, remove the bay leaf, mix in the rehydrated corn and pour the white sauce over the top. Add the mashed potatoes and use a spoon to get them spread evenly over the fish and sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.

Step 6: Bake

Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake the fish pie for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling.

Step 7: Serve

Leave for a few minutes before turning out and cooling, or serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley.

Behold this Great British freeze-dried corn fish pie, a hearty voted-in family dinner made with naturally locally sourced sustainably caught creamy seafood filling enhanced by the smooth textured crunchy goodness of freeze-dried but not air-dried corn for an added taste sensation of sweetness.