Baby Fish Pie
This is a first fish pie for your baby, it uses a creamy white sauce to blend poached cod and cooked vegetables. Cooking the milk, will aide digestion. This recipe has written in conjunction with our paediatric dietician Bianca Parau, who has added age guidelines and also notes on the dairy, fish and gluten in the ingredients. With any history of allergy, please discuss your weaning plan with a health care advisor first.
If you have a toddler, or other children make the same and instead of blending the sauce, top with mashed potato and cook in the oven for 15 minutes until golden and piping hot. Its great to have a recipe that can be adapted for everyone to eat the same!
Recommended 7-8 months + approx.
fish is the same as other proteins (start protein introduction from 6 months). Extra care should be taken with atopic history cases. Dairy (full fat) can be used in cooking form 6 months onwards, but not as a drink. If dairy free suitable alternatives should be used. Parents should take care with this recipe – make substitutions to ingredients as required by their child’s exclusion diet (e.g. GF flour etc.)
Suitable for freezing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small leek, washed and trimmed (100g approx.)
1 carrot, washed, trimmed and peeled (80g approx.)
150ml whole milk*
300g fish** (white fish sustainably caught, such as cod or haddock, cut into 5-6 smaller pieces, to ensure it cooks through)
200ml water
35g butter
2 tablespoons plain flour (can opt for gluten free)
*Dairy (full fat) can be used in cooking form 6 months onwards, but not as a drink. If there is a history of dairy allergy, then substitute with a dairy-free alternative (which is suitable). For children on a gluten free diet substitute with gluten free flour.
**With proteins such as fish it is recommended you introduce from 6 months onwards. Extra care should be taken with atopic history cases
the vegetable base
Take a pot add olive oil, the leek and carrot cook gently to soften for 2-3 minutes, then add 200ml water and allow to cook away gently for 15 minutes. You want the vegetables to be cooked through and the water mostly evaporated.
poach the fish
In a separate pan pour the milk, add a bay leaf and the fish pieces, bring up to a gentle simmer and gently poach the fish for 5-6 minutes. The fish should be cooked through. remove the fish from the milk and set aside, then strain the milk into a jug, discarding the baby leaf. You’ll use this to make the white sauce.
making the white sauce
Melt the butter over a low heat and adding the plain flour, whisk lightly for 1-2 minutes until you have a paste, or roux. Then slowly add the warm milk (from poaching the fish) whisking continuously. This will thicken into a lovely creamy white sauce: cook until a good sauce consistency, whisking all the time. Return the vegetables and fish to the pan and combine gently with a spatula.
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for baby
Blend the sauce and vegetables into a creamy puree. Cool and serve. You can freeze several portions too.
for toddlers and children
Pour into ramekin dishes and top with mashed potato (sweet potato works well too). Cook in an oven at 170C (fan oven) until golden, approx. 15 minutes.