Chef John's Fisherman's Pie

100 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 75
  • 4 star values: 19
  • 1 star values: 3
  • 3 star values: 3
Read Reviews

My Fisherman's Pie gives you flaky cod mingled with spinach in a garlic and lemon-scented sauce underneath a browned crust of creamy, buttery potatoes on top. It really does taste fantastic.

By Chef John
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Ingredients

6
Original recipe yields 6 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

For potato crust:

For the spinach:

For the sauce:

For the rest:

Directions

  • Bring a large saucepan of salted water and to a boil; add russet potatoes to boiling water and cook until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well. Mash in 3 tablespoons butter until thoroughly combined. Season with nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Mash 1/2 cup milk into potato mixture until smooth.

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  • Drizzle olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add spinach, and season with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach has wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels to wick away excess moisture.

  • Heat 3 tablespoons butter and flour in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk mixture to a smooth paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has a nutty smell and is slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add chopped garlic; whisk until fragrant, 10 to 20 seconds.

  • Whisk 1 cup cold milk into flour mixture; cook until thickened. Whisk in remaining 1 cup milk and lemon zest. Bring white sauce to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly; season with salt. Turn heat to very low and keep sauce warm.

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8x12-inch casserole dish with 1 tablespoon butter.

  • Season buttered pan with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Lay boneless cod fillets into the pan in a single layer. Season tops of fillets with more salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Spread spinach evenly over fish and drizzle with lemon juice. Spoon white sauce over spinach; give casserole dish several taps and shakes to eliminate bubbles.

  • Drop mashed potatoes by heaping spoonfuls over the casserole and spread smoothly to cover. Place dish onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch spills.

  • Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 40 minutes. Turn on oven's broiler and broil until potato crust has a golden brown top, about 2 minutes. Fish should flake easily. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of chives.

Partner Tip

Reynolds® Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
421 calories; 18.5 g total fat; 109 mg cholesterol; 280 mg sodium. 29.3 g carbohydrates; 34.8 g protein; Full Nutrition

Popular in Fish

Reviews (84)

Read All Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Baking Nana
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
07/17/2013
This was pure comfort food for me. I used Blackened Seafood seasoning to season the bottom of the pan the fish and added some to the sauce and the potatoes too. I made the spinach and set aside not everyone in the family likes spinach (silly peeps) so I layered the seasoned fish and the sauce topped with the potatoes.... reserved some of sauce to mix with the spinach. Cooked the fish at 400 for 25 minutes and then turned on the broiler to brown the top. I had already sprinkled the seafood seasoning on top of the potatoes so it did not take long to brown up. I reheated the spinach with the reserved sauce and spread a layer of that in a shallow plate topped with the fish and potato casserole. It made a lovely presentation and tasted WONDERFUL. A couple of tips - make sure your fish is fully defrosted and blotted very dry with paper towels prior to seasoning. This can be made with leftover mashed potatoes but re-heat the potatoes prior to layering and baking. There were no leftovers - the pan was licked clean. Good thing I got a picture before dinner!
Helpful
(26)

Most helpful critical review

Anonymous
Rating: 1 stars
04/06/2015
I did not care for this. I followed the recipe exactly.
Helpful
(2)
100 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 75
  • 4 star values: 19
  • 1 star values: 3
  • 3 star values: 3
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Baking Nana
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
07/17/2013
This was pure comfort food for me. I used Blackened Seafood seasoning to season the bottom of the pan the fish and added some to the sauce and the potatoes too. I made the spinach and set aside not everyone in the family likes spinach (silly peeps) so I layered the seasoned fish and the sauce topped with the potatoes.... reserved some of sauce to mix with the spinach. Cooked the fish at 400 for 25 minutes and then turned on the broiler to brown the top. I had already sprinkled the seafood seasoning on top of the potatoes so it did not take long to brown up. I reheated the spinach with the reserved sauce and spread a layer of that in a shallow plate topped with the fish and potato casserole. It made a lovely presentation and tasted WONDERFUL. A couple of tips - make sure your fish is fully defrosted and blotted very dry with paper towels prior to seasoning. This can be made with leftover mashed potatoes but re-heat the potatoes prior to layering and baking. There were no leftovers - the pan was licked clean. Good thing I got a picture before dinner!
Helpful
(26)
dml
Rating: 5 stars
05/16/2013
Can't believe no one else has rated this yet. This was a little time intensive but so worth it. It tasted restaurant quality - a really good restaurant quality. I have never tried a Chef John recipe that was not absolutely fabulous. I am making this for a gathering this weekend it is fantastic. I used haddock by the way. Any white fish would work.
Helpful
(19)
Red Apron Chef
Rating: 5 stars
03/18/2014
This is a fantastic recipe. I've made it once as written (except for using tilapia instead) and it was quite good just like that. Since then I've changed a few things for my own personal taste. The things I do different are to continue using tilapia and to include a can of corn with the spinach. It adds a nice sweetness and little crunch to the dish. The other thing I change is adding garlic powder to the potato topping. Being the garlic lover I am I also put at least 4 cloves of garlic (pressed) into the roux (depending on their size). Besides that the only other changes is that I omit lemon as I don't always have lemons on hand.
Helpful
(18)
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Alison King
Rating: 5 stars
05/25/2013
Wow! 6 Stars! This was the Ultimate in Comfort Food! Simple Easy Delicious. I really can t rave enough...I ll be making this again and again and again. Thank You So Much Chef John!!!
Helpful
(9)
Carolyn Meigs
Rating: 5 stars
03/05/2015
When I told my hubby what was going into this dish he was very skeptical especially since he's not a huge fish fan. He changed his tune after the first bite. I think it tasted even better reheated. I made everything all at once and it took some time but it was worth it.
Helpful
(7)
OODLES_OR
Rating: 5 stars
02/27/2014
Made this for supper last night. Super easy and delicious. Used frozen chopped spinach and it worked out fine. DH said "You can make this again."
Helpful
(6)
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higher_tastes
Rating: 5 stars
03/19/2015
This is an amazing recipe. Very easy to prepare and so flavorful. When done it smells so good. I decreased the portions to 2 servings and substituted the cod for sole. Followed everything else as directed. I didn't have any problems with it becoming liquidy as I dried my fish very well and squeezed all moisture out of the spinach. Will definitely make this again!
Helpful
(6)
cowgirll
Rating: 5 stars
02/29/2016
It reads like it's going to take forever to prepare but this actually comes together pretty quickly. I started the pot of water for the potatoes first and by the time they were cooked and ready to mash I had the rest all done and assembled. You can't beat the flavor either. We loved this dish.
Helpful
(5)
christybell71
Rating: 5 stars
09/28/2014
This recipe was absolutely delicious.once again chef John you've put up a 6 star recipe. It tastes like a meal served at an upscale seafood restaurant. Thanks for posting it.
Helpful
(5)
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