Chef John's Fisherman's Pie

Recipe By: Chef John


"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." 

I don't know who Chef John is.

Ingredients

3 Potatoes Russet
Horizon Milk Organic, Whole

For potato crust:
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
1/2 cup milk

(see directions below)

For the spinach:
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces baby spinach leaves
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
Directions

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cold milk, divided
2 teaspoons lemon zest

For the rest:
1 tablespoon butter
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 pounds boneless cod fillets
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives for garnish

1. 1  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.
   
2. 2  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.
   
3. 3  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.
   
4. 4  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.
   
5. 5  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease an 8x12-inch casserole dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
   
6. 6  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.
   
7. 7  Drop mashed potatoes by heaping spoonfuls over the casserole and spread smoothly to cover. Place dish onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch spills.
   
8. 8  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. 
   

Roasted Italian Sausage and Fennel Salad

I made this a few summers ago and it's really good if you hate salad, or even find it hard to get enthusiastic about. My guess is this serves 2 people.

a container of arugula or spinach or red leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
1 large head of fennel aka anise
2 potatoes (or one head of cauliflower in one inch florets)
1 avocado
1 ripe large tomato (or two little ones)
half a pound of sweet italian sausage
one lime
cumin
chili powder
oregano
garlic (optional)
olive oil
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Cut the stems off the head of the fennel bulb, cube the bulb in half inch dice.
2. Peel the potatoes and cube them in one inch dice/break the head of cauliflower into one inch florets.
3. Get a glass pan and toss the fennel and cauliflower with: 2 T or more olive oil, salt and pepper, 2 t cumin, 2 t chili powder, and half a teaspoon oregano (crush it with your fingers over the veggies). Toss. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir, roast another 20 minutes, take out of oven, let cool on the stovetop while you do the rest.
4. In a pan, heat olive oil at medium high/7 until it's a got a little haze on it. Turn on stovetop fan. Saute the sausages in their skins 3-4 minutes a side, then lower heat to medium low and put a cover on it with 1/4 cup water to really steam the pork all the way through. Set aside on a paper towel.
5. In a container you can shake up, put 1/4 olive oil, juice of one whole lime, a clove or two of garlic minced, 1 t cumin, 1 t chili powder, a pinch of oregano, salt and pepper. Shake! Taste and add salt if you need to.
6. Slice up the tomato and avocado.
7. On each plate: make a bed of lettuce, put the tomato and avocado on one side all decorative-like, and then put the potatoes/cauliflower on the other side and put the sausage on top.
8. Pour dressing on with a spoon. It's easy to get too much, so be careful.

Mmmm.

Curried Chickpeas and Cauliflower

I recommend playing CSNY album Deja Vu for full effect. I was supposed to go to the Catskills this weekend to write, but not feeling it. Instead I needed to stay home and perform a syllabus miracle.



 2 cans garbanzos drained
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 T olive oil
2 T butter or ghee
1 t cumin
1 t tumeric
1 t garam masala
1-2 t curry powder (optional)
a few dashes of cayenne pepper
half t coriander half
t of cardamom
1 large head of cauliflower in florets
1 large Russet potato peeled and cubed smallish
1 T tomato paste half a can of coconut milk
1 t cornstarch
2 cups water

 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put cauliflower in glass pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then salt and pepper. Add a little dash of cumin. Roast for 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Set aside.

2. In a Dutch oven, heat oil and butter, then add garbanzos and stir on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add onion and garlic and spices and tomato sauce. Let cook until you can smell the spices develop, turn heat down to med low.

4. Put two cups of water in a container and add the cornstarch. Stir until dissolved. Add water and coconut milk to Dutch oven.

5. Add potatoes. Turn heat up to medium high, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Then cover and continue to simmer for another 7 minutes.

6. Add the cauliflower florets. Serve over rice. If you leave the butter out, this is vegan and gluten free.