Where did I just go wrong? (Fish Pie)

[WildUnknown]

Just made a fish pie

Fish mix in first, followed by veggies (cauliflower, carrot, broccoli) followed by sauce followed by mash

Oven for 30 mins at 200

Everything came out perfect except the veggies which are inedibly hard and feel/taste like they've not been cooked at all.

What should I have done differently?

I was wondering if you were aiming for a one pot meal. If you do want the veg in the pie without blanching them in a different pot you could poach them till soft ish, drain off the fluid,and then assemble the fish pie. But that might be as much faff as blanching 🤨

Thanks so much @sashh

Yes I was aiming for a one pot meal @Lurkingandlearning

I don't want to sound obvious, but veg that is insufficiently cooked needs more cooking.

Don't feel stupid, you have learnt something new.

An even easier way to make a sauce is to put flour, milk and butter in pan all together, use a simple balloon whisk and gently whisk over gentle heat until sauce starts to simmer. Simmer for a couple of minutes and then season and add cheese. Make the sauce a bit thicker by not using as much milk to allow for the liquid that runs out of the fish.
I put the raw fish in the bottom of a dish, season and add lemon juice, combine sliced leeks that have been sautéed until soft with the cheese sauce and add to dish, top with mashed potato.I sometimes add tinned sweetcorn and a few squishy tomatoes and usually some dried tarragon to the leek mixture.
Cook in a hot oven, 200c until nice and brown on top.

It’s all about personal preferences but the only thing I can see that you did wrong was to not precook the vegetables.

@OP Very, very, very well done for trying to cook proper food. Tastes so much nicer, as well as more healthy. Re mistakes, we've all been there; we all live and learn. Fish pie looks easy but is actually not that simple to get right. So many different elements.

Really don't wish to sound patronising but might you find Delia's old-fashioned but very sound website helpful. It's all about how to cook the basics, and then how to go on from there.

Am a real oldie, so was taught how to make a roux/white sauce and similar dishes literally at my mother's knee (aged maybe 9 or 10). Delia does that sort of thing for you. Would really recommend.
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/books/delias-complete-how-to-cookAND/OR
www.deliaonline.com/cookery-school

As Nigel Slater says - he;s another 'real food' cook that I'd really recommend - fish pie is a lot of bother and creates an great amount of washing up. Here's his recipe; you can also follow him for free on The Guardian website, and on many other places online:www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/14/nigel-slater-fish-pie-wholemeal-apple-orange-cake

Sorry... i was v lucky, my mum was a great cook, never did anything from a jar or a packet.

I don't suppose you 'll ever be able to buy it now but she gave me a book called "the essentials of modern cookery" i've passed it on to my DD.

It teaches all the basic sauces, cake and biscuit mixes and then adds in the extras, such as a sauce to go with fish.

But there must be equivalents around, i know you can get everything on a tablet or phone now but having dropped a phone into a bowl of boiling water, i prefer a book in the kitchen.

I always put broccoli and peas in mine. I steam the broccoli first though.

Fully agree with @gingergiraffe it's easier to put the flour, butter and milk all in together and whisk from the get go. Makes more sense than making something just to deconstruct it. Changed the game for me.

I grate veggies Into the fish pie ( carrot and celery) and serve spinach on the side as it gets too wet if you cook it in the pie itself.

The veg should always be cooked separately. And personally I’d stick to peas with a fish pie.

Jamie Oliver fish pie recipe is very good.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish/fantastic-fish-pie/

Two teaspoons of mustard in the sauce. Only peas or sweetcorn as veg. Always boiled eggs.

Cheddar cheese topping.

I'd only put baby spinach in a fish pie.

I make my fish sauce using creme fraise and lots of mustard always tastes fab lots of cheese on top of the mash

Yeah I wouldn't really put veg in it except the base of the sauce with finely chopped onions, celery and carrot. I've never seen a recipe with cauliflower etc in it.

I guess if you want it in you have to parboil it or cut it up much smaller. If you cook it for too long then fish will be horribly tough.

Many thanks for the renewed interest in the thread I posted in January. I haven’t tried a Fish Pie since!!

I do a variation of a Jamie Oliver recipe, not the one above though.
I cook the fish, soften finely chopped leeks and grated carrots add the fish and vegetables to a bowl witb tub of creme fraiche, lemon juice, strong cheddar, some chopped red chilli, salt and pepper.
Top with mash and put in the oven until golden. It’s delicious and less much less gloopy than a white sauce version which I prefer.

You should definitely try again but steam the broccoli separately. How’s the old learning to cook malarkey going now?

Cook your veg ... broccoli would likely be fine but other veg need cooking first

@SleafordSods Slowly! I can do a lot of basics!

Basics are good! I can remember having to learn how to cook properly for a family when I’d had DC1. Now I’m almost a reasonable cook

I always try to minimise effort/washing up so try to create leftovers to form part of the next day's meal. Eg one day I will cook a meal with mashed potatoes as a side dish, but make loads of extra mashed potato to use in a fish pie the next day. It doesn't spread so easily cold from the fridge so I sort of slice it up to use as a topping. Obviously handy for shepher's pies etc too. Also if you have a food processor with a grating blade, grate a block of cheese and keep airtight in the fridge or freezer...better than pre grated and lasts quite well.

You do have to plan ahead a bit but it saves time if you have a set menu for the week. When we were young it would be a roast on Sunday, then on Monday my Mum would mince up the cold meat with onion and some egg and mix with mashed potatoes to make rissoles. Older Mumsnetters may remember the trusty Spong mincer! Not suggesting OP does that LOL. But yes, learning to make white sauce is a good idea.

Made one yesterday - excessive amount of sauce!

I base mine on a Jamie Oliver recipe, a mix of celery, onion, carrot fried in butter with garlic and lemon juice. Once they are soft I add smoked haddock, cod, salmon and cook for a few minutes, then add a pot of creme fraiche and a heap of grated cheese, parsley, tin of sweetcorn, prawns and peas. Mix, top with mash and bake in oven for 30 mins