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Shepherd's Pie is a classic homestyle dish of meat and vegetables in gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. Moving to the seashore, we combine mussels and fish in a tasty sauce under the blanket of potatoes mixed with cheese. Any combination of cooked fish or shellfish work well here, a perfect use for leftovers. In case of small drips while baking, make sure you put a piece of foil on the shelf below the dish to make clean-up easy.
Potato Topping
Filling
Cut the peeled potatoes into large chunks and put them in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pan. Using a potato masher or large stiff whisk, coarsely mash the potatoes. Add the milk and butter and continue mixing until smooth and fluffy; if necessary, add a few more tablespoons of milk. Stir in the cheddar cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
Put the mussels and white wine in a large pan and cook, covered, over medium-high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels begin to open, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the opened mussels to a bowl and let cool. Discard any mussels that do not open. Pour the cooking liquids through a fine strainer into a small bowl. Save the cooking liquids for making the sauce. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, remove the meats from the shells and set aside; add any accumulated juices to the small bowl.
Cut the fish fillets into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Bring a large pan half-filled with water to a boil, add the fish cubes and simmer just until the pieces are opaque through (cut into one to test), about 5 minutes. Gently pour the fish into a colander and drain well. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Add enough milk to the mussel cooking liquid to make 2 cups. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, then add the celery and onion and cook over medium heat until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring so the flour evenly coats the vegetables. Add the milk mixture and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring often, and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.
Take the sauce from the heat, add the chopped mushrooms, mussels and fish and gently stir to mix well. Taste the sauce for seasoning and pour it into a 2-quart baking dish (preferably oblong or oval). Spoon the mashed potatoes over the fish mixture and spread evenly over. Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Toppings & Crusts: Mix & Match In these recipes we use a variety of toppings and crusts, which illustrates the versatility of the recipes. Here's an overview of what you can choose from.
Regular pie dough: good as a crust and/or topping; consider a lattice or other decorative details.
Puff pastry dough (available in the freezer section): good as a crust and/or topping; puffs as it cooks, so roll out thin.
Oat topping: good as a topping; season with minced herbs or spices, if you like.
Biscuit dough: good as a topping; use homemade or instant mix; add minced herbs or spices, if you like.
Potatoes: good as a topping;mashed are easiest to work with; season with herbs, spices or grated cheese.
Prepared doughs (such as for biscuits or crescent rolls): good as a topping; sturdy dough may be good as a crust also; sprinkle with grated cheese or spices to accentuate flavor.
Servings Per Recipe: 6 to 8 Cal. 522/Total fat 19g/Sat. 11g/Chol. 109mg/Sdm. 350mg/Carbo. 47g/ Prot. 37g/Om-3 1g