Kale & Leek Pie

This is a savory fish pie built in layers. Grated cheddar goes down first on the pre-baked shell, then sauteed kale and leek, then herb-poached fish chunks bound in bechamel sauce, and finally a dusting of Parmesan on top. Twenty-five minutes in the oven brings it all together into a bubbling, golden-topped dinner.

Sauteing the kale and leek in olive oil before they go into the pie is important. Raw kale is tough and bitter. A few minutes in a hot pan with sliced leek wilts the leaves, drives off excess moisture, and mellows the flavor. Wet greens inside a pie crust spell disaster, so cooking them down first protects the pastry.

The fish simmers gently in water with herbs of your choice until just cooked through, then gets drained and mixed with bechamel. The bechamel acts as a binding sauce that holds the fish chunks together and keeps them moist during baking. Without it, the fish would dry out in the oven.

The cheddar layer melted against the bottom of the pie shell creates a barrier between the crust and the wet fillings above. It also adds a sharp, salty base note that the milder bechamel and fish play off of nicely.

Chef Tips

• Use a pre-baked (blind-baked) pie shell. A raw shell won’t cook through under all that filling
• Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks, not too small. You want to taste distinct pieces, not a fish paste
• Squeeze excess water from the sauteed kale before layering. Even after cooking, it holds moisture
• Any firm white fish works here: cod, haddock, pollock, or hake

Variations

• Add poached shrimp or smoked haddock to the fish mixture for a more complex filling
• Use Swiss chard or spinach instead of kale for a milder green
• Top with puff pastry instead of Parmesan for a more traditional British fish pie presentation