Fisherman's Pie

We hewed close to tradition when selecting the seafood for our Fisherman's Pie, landing on a trio that offers a variety of flavours and textures: flaky, white-fleshed cod; delicate cold-smoked salmon; and snappy jumbo shrimp. A roux thickened mixture of heavy cream, clam juice, and white wine produced a light, elegant sauce. We kept the flavourings simple, using just leek, thyme, and parsley so as not to overwhelm the delicate fish. Gently simmering the seafood in the sauce on the stovetop before topping it with fluffy mashed potatoes ensured that the seafood would be perfectly cooked.

Topping:
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 Tbsp. kosher salt for cooking potatoes
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 large egg yolk

Filling:
12 oz jumbo shrimp (16-20 per lb), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut in half crosswise
¾ tsp. sea salt, divided
⅛ tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 leek, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 tsp. fresh thyme, minced
⅓ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 (8 oz) bottles clam juice
⅔ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 lb cod fillets, skinless, cut into 1" chunks
4 oz cold-smoked salmon, cut into ½" pieces
½ cup fresh parsley leaves, minced

We use an 8" square broiler-safe baking dish for this recipe, but any broiler-safe dish that holds 2 qts will work here. At the end of step 3, the base for the pie should look quite thick; it will loosen to the perfect consistency as the seafood cooks. We prefer cold-smoked salmon here because it's less likely to overcook, but you can substitute hot-smoked salmon if you prefer it. Making a pattern on the topping not only looks attractive but also provides textural contrast when the pie is broiled.

For the Topping:
Place potatoes in large saucepan and add water to just cover. Add salt and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook until tip of paring knife inserted into potato meets no resistance, 8-10 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan over low heat. Cook, shaking saucepan occasionally, until any surface moisture on potatoes has evaporated, about 1 minute. Off heat, mash potatoes well. Stir in butter until melted. Whisk cream and egg yolk together in bowl; stir into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

For the Filling:
Set 8" square broiler-safe baking dish on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle shrimp with ¼ tsp. salt and baking soda in bowl and toss to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leek and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until leek is softened, 6-7 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add clam juice and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in cream, pepper, and remaining ½ tsp. salt. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Lower heat to maintain simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture resembles thick chowder, 10-13 minutes.

Stir cod, salmon, and shrimp into sauce and return to simmer. Cover and cook, stirring every 2 minutes and adjusting heat if needed to maintain simmer, until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley. Transfer filling to prepared dish.

Adjust oven rack 8" from broiler element and heat broiler. Spoon topping over filling, starting at edges and working toward center. Smooth with rubber spatula, making sure to seal around edges of dish so no seafood or sauce is exposed. Using back of spoon or tines of fork, make pattern on topping. Melt remaining 1 Tbsp. butter and drizzle over topping. Broil pie, still on sheet, until topping is golden brown and crusty and filling is bubbly, 6-7 minutes (watch closely). Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings.