Mary Berry Fish Pie with Leeks Recipe

Mary Berry's fish pie with leeks adds sweet, silky leeks to the classic cream sauce — giving a gentler, more complex filling under a golden mashed potato top.

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Prep Time 35

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1

Servings: 6 Portions

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Calories: 540

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Fish Filling:
300 g skinless cod or haddock in large chunks
200 g skinless smoked haddock in large chunks
150 g large raw king prawns peeled
600 ml whole milk
1 bay leaf 6 peppercorns, slice of lemon
Leek Cream Sauce:
50 g unsalted butter
3 large leeks sliced 1cm rounds
3 garlic cloves crushed
50 g plain flour
Strained poaching milk approximately 550ml, warm
150 ml double cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and white pepper
Mashed Potato Top:
1.2 kg Maris Piper potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
100 g unsalted butter
150 ml warm whole milk or cream
50 g mature Cheddar finely grated
Salt and white pepper

Method

Poach white fish and smoked haddock in milk with bay leaf, peppercorns, and lemon — 5–6 minutes. Lift out. Strain and reserve milk.
Boil potatoes — drain, dry, mash until smooth. Beat in butter and warm milk. Season generously. Set aside.
Melt butter over medium-low heat. Cook leeks 12–15 minutes until completely soft and sweet. Add garlic — 2 minutes. Add flour — stir 1–2 minutes. Add warm poaching milk gradually — whisk smooth. Add cream and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes until thick. Add dill, parsley, and lemon juice. Season carefully.
Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Fold fish and raw prawns into leek sauce gently. Transfer to dish. Cool 10 minutes.
Spoon mash over filling — spread evenly. Rough up with a fork. Scatter Cheddar over top. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and filling bubbling. Rest 5 minutes.

Notes

Cook leeks for 12–15 minutes minimum — properly softened leeks give sweetness throughout.

Season sauce carefully — smoked haddock makes the poaching milk salty.

Cool filling 10 minutes before topping — gives a more manageable, evenly spreadable top.

Rough up the mash with a fork — the peaks crisp and brown for texture contrast.

Freeze before baking for up to 2 months.