SEAFOOD PIE

A great way to use up bits of leftover fish from the freezer.

Serves 4
250 ml/1 cup white wine
110 g/1/4 lb scallops
110 g/1/4 lb brill or other white fish fillets, cut in 2.5 cm/3.5-in strips
110 g/1/4 lb cooked peeled medium shrimps
110 g/1/4 lb cooked lobster meat or crab meat
For the sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
175 ml/1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper
Pinch grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons sherry
2 egg yolks (optional)
175 ml/1/2 cup cream
50 g/½ cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese
23-25 cm/9-10-inch baked flan or deep pie shell

1. Boil the wine until reduced by half. Cut large scallops in thick slices leaving small ones whole. Add scallops to the wine, bring almost to the boil, and let stand off the heat for 1 minute. Do not overcook scallops or they will be rubbery. Lift out scallops with a draining spoon and reserve them. Add the white fish strips to the pan, bring just to the boil, and let stand also for 1 minute. Lift out and add to scallops: reserve cooking liquid. Spread the fish and scallops in the baked pie shell with the shrimps and lobster or crab meat.

2. For the sauce; In a saucepan melt the butter, stir in the flour, and when it is foaming, whisk in the milk and reserved cooking liquid with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and simmer 2 minutes. Add the sherry. Mix the egg yolks with the cream and stir this mixture back into the remaining sauce. Reheat gently until the sauce thickens slightly – do not boil or it will curdle. Taste the sauce for seasoning and spoon it over the seafood in the pie shell. Sprinkle the top with the grated cheese., You can prepare 24 hours ahead up to this point.

3. To serve: heat the oven at moderate 180°C/350°F. Cook the pie in the heated oven until it is very hot and browned, allowing 15-20 minutes if it was freshly prepared or 25-30 minutes if it needed reheating.