New years day - Fish Pie

Dairy free Fish pie

There's a local Scottish tradition to have Steak Pie on New years day.   I didn't learn about till we move to down to Fife, so it might just be a Central Scotland Tradition along with supper. 

Supper -  a fourth meal eaten late in the evening.

In Aberdeen shire we just have a cup of tea or cocoa and a biscuit before going to bed.  So I got kind of confused at a sleep over at a friends, when they started cooking sausages?     Then again each region in Scotland has their own traditions, customs and food specialities. 

Back to the steak pie, I'm trying to create new traditions for myself this year.   I'm trying to put back some of the old joy I used to feel during the festive season.  Only this year because of my IBS, Steak is off the menu along with every other kind of meat and poultry.

If I couldn't have Steak pie, why not Fish pie.  It's still a pie.......

Making a dairy free fish pie is relatively simple, all you need to do is use a non-dairy milk to make your white sauce.  I also used oil instead of vegan margarine to make the roux.  It takes the same amount of time to make a pre-made packet sauce, only it cost's a lot less.   Making it a great budget recipe. 

Dairy free White sauce

1 tbsp - vegetable oil

1 tbsp - plain flour

1 pint - non dairy milk

salt & pepper to taste

- Heat oil in a pan gently, then mix in the flour. 

- Cook over a low heat for a few Min's before slowly adding in the milk in stages.

- To avoid lumps stir in each addition of milk well before adding the next.

- Stirring continually, bring the sauce to a boil before reducing the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 Min's.  This helps cook out the taste of the flour and thicken the sauce.

- Add seasoning in last to your own taste

In a casserole dish I added poached white fish, smoked salmon trimmings, prawns and frozen peas.  Then covered them with the dairy free white sauce.

Fish pies are normally topped with mashed potatoes, any mashed root veg would work just as well. 

 Eg.  Using sweet potatoes or carrots instead.  I like using polenta instead, it tastes great, is quicker and less work to make than mashed tatties.

I can't remember the last time I cooked a white sauce that didn't come from a packet.  You get so used to TV adverts saying how much easier using a packet mix is, while  Dairy free versions cost even more expensive to buy.  I'll definitely be making my own from now on. xxxx