Hake and Prawn Pie

To many, hake pie or fish pie in general may sound old-fashioned; maybe it isn’t trendy. But that doesn’t mean it’s not tasty and perfect for any celebration like the upcoming Christmas feasts, because it’s one of those dishes you can prepare in advance and eat cold. A convenience for whoever has to prepare the spread at home.

Also, don’t old-fashioned folks have the right to enjoy ourselves too? I’ll bet there are some old-school people at your home who aren’t big fans of pokés, pizzas and ramen bowls… Indulge them, what’s it cost you, for heaven’s sake. Add a little quinoa to the pie and you’ve updated it… ahem.

And then there’s the fact that if you make this pie in a lovely Le Creuset ceramic terrine and decorate it properly, it’s still an impressive and attractive dish. Yes. You can assemble it as lavishly or as economically as you like: frozen hake is inexpensive, you don’t need pole-and-line hake, and the same goes for the prawns. Add some vegetables on the side and you’re set.

The formula is pretty standard, a widely used and common recipe for this type of pie with guaranteed results, adapted to the size of the large Le Creuset terrine.

Le Creuset rectangular ceramic terrine and De Buyer cake server

Ingredients

• 800 g frozen hake
• 150 g peeled prawns
• 5 large eggs
• 200 g heavy cream (minimum 35% fat, not cooking cream)
• 200 g homemade fried tomato sauce, if possible (thick)
• Salt to taste
• A bit of butter and breadcrumbs for the mold

Preparation

1. Defrost the hake in the microwave or in the fridge from one day to the next; do the same with the prawns if they are frozen.
2. Place the hake in a microwave-safe container, cover and cook until it’s no longer raw, being careful not to overcook. Time will depend on the appliance’s power, but at least 10 minutes. You can also poach it in salted water, nothing fancy, but it will lose more substance.
3. While the hake cooks, in a salad bowl beat the eggs with the cream and the tomato until homogeneous.
4. Flake the hake and add it to the mixture. Combine well; you can also blend the mixture with a hand blender depending on whether you like to notice pieces of fish or prefer the pie very smooth. Season with salt to taste; if you want to check the seasoning, take a spoonful of the mixture and cook it in the microwave. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
5. Grease the ceramic terrine with butter and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. If you want to make sure the pie releases well, also place a strip of paper along the length, almost the width of the bottom of the terrine, letting it protrude at the ends so you can pull it out easily.
6. Pour the pie mixture into the mold and smooth the surface. Cover with the terrine lid.
7. Place the terrine in a roasting pan that fits it well and fill with hot water at least halfway up the height.
8. Put the pan with the terrine in an oven preheated to 180° and bake for at least 45–50 minutes. After that time, remove the pan, uncover the pie and check if it’s done by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. If it comes out with pie residue, continue baking for at least 10 more minutes.
9. When the pie is set, remove the terrine and let cool completely to room temperature. Then put it in the fridge so the pie rests for at least 8 hours and firms up.
10. Once well chilled, insert a spatula between the pie and the terrine to ensure it releases.
11. Invert the mold onto a platter and garnish with the peeled, deveined prawns.
12. Garnish with herbs and serve with mayonnaise, cocktail sauce or hollandaise, which goes perfectly with it.

Le Creuset rectangular ceramic terrine