Crab and Lobster Pot Pie

It has become trendy of late to jump on the "no white sauce" fish pie bandwagon. No matter which way you package it or how you regurgitate what tv chefs have told you a "low fat" or "quick" fish pie simply can't hold a light to a "normal fat" or "normal speed" version. Anyway, this one is pure luxury.

You can make individual pies or one big one and, although expensive, this recipe will easily feed six. To stretch it further top with mashed potato and grated cheddar cheese instead of puff pastry.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°c/350°f/Gas 4.

Ingredients:

2 lb lobster
8 oz fresh white crab meat
8 oz monkfish - cut into cubes
Puff pastry - rolled to ½ cm thick

for the sauce:

2 oz butter
2 banana shallots - peeled and finely diced
8 button mushrooms - sliced
2 oz plain flour
¼ pint of white wine
¼ pint of fish stock
½ pint of milk
1 bayleaf
pinch of fresh nutmeg
2 tblspn double cream
tblspn chopped parsley
tblspn chopped chervil

Method:

1. Follow the cooking method for lobster (here) then plunge into iced water. Drain then remove all of the meat. Roughly chop and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the shallots and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Add the stock and wine a little at a time, whisking between each addition. Add the milk in one go along with the nutmeg and bayleaf, and stir to the boil.

4. Reduce the heat and add the monkfish. Simmer very gently for five minutes. Add the cream, season, then pour into a large bowl. Cool.

5. Add the lobster, crab, parsley and chervil to the sauce and stir well. Spoon into your oven proof dishes, top with the puff pastry and trim. Brush with egg yolk and bake until golden. (Approx. 30 minutes).