GOCHUJANG FISH PIE WITH SWEET POTATO AND BLACK SESAME

A Korean twist on the quintessentially British fish pie, with a sweet potato and black sesame instead of the bog standard potato topping, might sound ODD but OMG this may just be the best savoury pie I have ever had!!!

Spicy, comforting and full of unexpected but wonderful flavour combo - this is a new dinner party favourite I URGE you to make!!

SERVES 3

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 medium free-range eggs
• 1 fish stock cube or 500ml fish stock
• 90g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tsp rice wine or white wine vinegar
• 400g fish pie mix
• 150g raw king prawns, shelled 
• 75g frozen peas
• 100g spinach
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 4 tbsp crunchy kimchi to serve

METHOD

• Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until soft (around 20 minutes), then lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside to steam dry. 
• In the same pan of boiling water, cook the eggs for 6½ minutes, then drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop them from cooking further.
• Meanwhile, pour 500ml boiling water from the kettle over the stock cube, stir to dissolve and set aside. (If using fresh stock, cook it in the microwave on high for 1 minute to warm through). 
• Put 50g of the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and, once melted, stir in the flour to make a paste. 
• Cook, whisking, for 2 minutes to cook out the floury taste, then slowly whisk in the hot fish stock bit by bit, to avoid lumps. 
• Stir in the gochujang paste and vinegar, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper and leave to cool slightly.
• n the potatoes, leave to steam dry for a minute, then return to the pan and mash with the remaining butter. Season with a big pinch of salt. 
• Heat the oven to 180ºC fan/gas 6.
• Stir the fish, prawns, peas and spinach into the sauce and transfer to an ovenproof dish. 
• Peel and halve the eggs, then nestle them into the sauce. 
• Spoon over the sweet potato mash, spread to cover, then sprinkle with black sesame seeds and put in the oven for 30 minutes. 
• Serve with a spoonful of crunchy kimchi on the side.