In my fisherman’s pie, you’ll find flaky cod mixed with spinach in a sauce flavored with garlic and lemon, with a crust of browned, creamy, buttery potatoes on top. It tastes excellent, in all honesty.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 10 mins |
| Additional Time: | 10 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
Ingredients
- 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 12 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cold milk, divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 2 pounds boneless cod fillets
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil; add 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. Mash 1/2 cup milk into potato mixture until smooth.
- 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 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 the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8×12-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 the 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.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 421 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 29 g |
| Cholesterol | 109 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Protein | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Sodium | 280 mg |
| Sugars | 6 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I substituted cauliflower mash for the mashed potatoes to make it keto friendly. It was delicious.
This is a fabulous seafood version of Chef John’s Irish Shepherd’s Pie! I made this recipe but with my own personal preference omitting the nutmeg and cayenne pepper. I also did not smooth the potato layer with a spatula, I just plopped the potato evenly across the top then used a fork to smooth it out leaving small peaks that toasted up beautifully with out using the broiler. For us, this recipe is more than five stars!! I will continue to adjust it to taste but it is definitely worth the effort!!
Chef John does it again and never disappoints! It was awesome! I used 2 pounds of pacific whiting fish and I only had 6 ounces of spinach but it turned out just fine. I think we would’ve liked a little more mashed potatoes on it but it was very filling and delicious!
I thought the flavor of this was delicious, but gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because my first attempt was far too liquidy. I think instead of just letting the spinach drain on towels, it would be better to really SQUEEZE all the moisture out, and make sure the fish is dried really well too. Other than that this was really delicious. I halved the recipe and cooked in a deep 8×8 casserole, and used instant potatoes for the topping, which worked really well (2 servings per package instructions).
This is absolutely delicious. Pure comfort food for a cold day.
This was delicious! I made it pretty much as directed, but used coconut milk instead of regular milk. I didn’t have any chives, so I left out them out. The lemon squeezed into the spinach gives it a Greek flavor. This was a big hit! I will definitely make it again.
We always add a pinch of extra cayenne for some kick. Delicious every time!
I thought this was the most delicious fish pie I have ever tasted. It was worth the effort.
My husband did not like this. He said it was missing something. Maybe more lemon or maybe it was just a weird combination. Atleast I tried. I like to try different recipes.
I usually LOVE Chef John’s creations, and I didn’t hate this one, just not one I will do again. I found the potatoes were very mushy and overall the pie not full of flavor.
Satisfying, Savoury & Delish!!! I tried with a tasty tilapia, salmon & jumbo prawn mix. Yummmm!!
Outstanding recipe, Chef John! Might add a fourth potato—my spread was a bit thin in places. Did add a layer of fresh shrimp on top of the cod. Truly outstanding!
First time making this recipe. Did not change anything. The flavor is delicious. I did use thawed/previously frozen cod. I thawed in the refrigerator in a colander and patted dry on a towel. I mention this because it was still pretty wet on the bottom of the pan after baked. However if you wait a while (about 30m) it thickens up quit a bit. The reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 is because it could use some more contrast in texture. It is a bit soft. With that said Chef John does not disappoint. I will make this again!
This made a good fish dinner. My lemon was extra juicy, making it taste very lemony.
The whole family loved it! I made a double batch and it was all gone!
Watery, bland and took way too long to make.
I make this recipe all the time! I live in Alaska, so I’m constantly trying to find different ways to use the salmon that I’ve caught in the summer. I adapted this recipe to reflect the flavors of salmon vs. a white fish. I add a lot more lemon juice, dill, and paprika to the white sauce. I also add sautéed onions too. I also (gasp!) use instant mashed potatoes when I’m in a hurry, and YES they work just fine. Chef John has never let me down with his recipes, and this one is no different – adaptations or not!
This had an excellent combination of flavors. Next time I make it, I will add less milk to the white sauce because it was too runny. I think I ended up using every pot and pan in my kitchen, but the results were world class.
That was lovely, and I certainly WILL make it again! Mine was a little soupier than some, but the flavours were delicious – extra garlic (because garlic) and lemon (because lemon) – so many fish pies are bland. This was NOT. Thank you!
Great new idea for a fish meal! I make Shepherd’s Pie with ground beef occasionally, so why not fish? The sauce and spinach were very nicely flavored. I added a layer of shrimp over the fish fillets to please my husband and the pink shrimp added some needed color to the servings on the plate. This was not a 30-Minute Meal but it wasn’t hard to put together.
tweaked according to my preferences — added bacon and cheddar. Yum! Keeper…