Low Carb Fish Pies

  
I received a beautiful box of fish the other day from Seafresh Quality Foods.   I had been contacted by them and asked I would like to try some of their products and review their service, etc.  I am wanting to eat more fish at the moment, so I said sure. 
 
Seafresh is an online fish monger, which sells quality fish, seafood, poultry and meat. They have access to some of the best quality products from Britain and around the world, largely due to the good relationships they have fostered with their suppliers since 1996, when they began with the very simple concept of selling high quality frozen foods to their customers right in the comfort of their own homes.  

I have to say right from the outset I have been extremely impressed with their customer service.  Rhoda their Customer Service Rep was in touch with me through the whole process of ordering and delivery, and checked back afterwards to make sure that it got to me in a timely manner and was up to standard. I was given a one hour delivery slot (delivery is by DPD) and it arrived bang on time, and was really packaged well.
 
I was really impressed with the packaging all together.  Not only was it in a very sturdy box, but inside it was packed inside a woolcool bag which is completely reusable and recyclable. Woolcool is made from excess sheep wool and it can go straight into the compost bin or if even better it can be re-used for things like hanging baskets, potted plants, insulating, even cushion fillers! It was also packed with dry ice, which was clearly labelled for safety.  
There were cooked Shrimps, raw King Prawns, Undyed Smoked Haddock, Cod Loins, Haddock Loins and Salmon Fillets.  I was so impressed with the packaging of everything. All arrived frozen solid and ready to pop into the freezer.  Each fish package was double bagged as well, and perfectly labelled not only with the contents, but also with basic  cooking instructions!
  
I am really impressed.  This is a quality product, responsibly  & sustainably resourced, and it shows. 
There is more to fish than most people know like the cut, portion size, the glaze on the fish ( amount of water glaze added), how it’s frozen. Their fish is all individually quick frozen, right at sea.  Air Blast frozen within four hours.  The amount of time it takes to freeze fish can really affect the taste, with some places taking up to 48 hours before it is frozen at the docks.  Being quick frozen means that this fish tastes really fresh, and I can say that it is fabulously tasty fish!  I also really love that each piece is individually frozen so that I can take out only as much as I need at any one time.
  
Today I wanted to cook Low Carb Fish Pies for us. One each and so I only needed small portions of fish as altogether it comes to a lot of protein.  I used one smoked haddock fillet, one each cod and haddock loin and one salmon fillet. Then for Todd I added some King Prawns.  The fish loins are perfectly sized and meaty, as is the salmon. I cooked each piece according to the package directions. Todd was really excited about the King Prawns, as it is not something we have very often in our home.
 
This fish pie recipe is quick and easy. You cook all of the fish first and then break it up into individual casserole dishes. I did only two servings, but you can easily double everything up to serve more people.
  
The sauce is a simple one, requiring only minimal cooking. It is basically just cream, cream cheese, half an egg yolk, Dijon mustard and some seasonings.  This cooks quickly in less than 2 minutes in the microwave. 
 
This gets poured over the fish in the casseroles  . . .  you might not think it is much, but trust me when I tell you it is ample.
 
Most low carb fish pies will use cauliflower mash for the topping, but I didn't want to do that.  I wanted something crunchy and so I used filo pastry.
 
I brushed it with an egg wash (using the other half of the egg yolk) and scrunched it up, putting one scrunched up sheet on top of each casserole.
 
 I lightly dusted it with some Parmigiana Reggiano Cheese which gives you a lot of flavor from only a tiny bit.
 
10 to 15 minutes is all the time you need to cook it, in a hot oven, which crisps up that filo pastry really well and gets the sauce bubbling.  Because it is such a short time, the fish doesn't over-cook.  It is in short  . . .  perfect!
 
Perfectly delicious!  I served it with a mix of steamed vegetables  . . .
 
Asparagus and broccoli  . . .  both of which go really well with fish.  I added some boiled new potatoes for Todd because he isn't on any kind of diet and loves his potatoes!
 
Just look at how perfectly that fish is cooked  . . .  not dry in the least.
  
And that sauce is amazing.  Just the right amount of flavor without taking anything away from that beautiful fish!
Yield: Serves 2 generously
Author: Marie RaynerPrint
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Low Carb Fish Pies

Delicious, low carb and easily doubled to feed more people. Quick and easy as well.

ingredients:

For the fish:

• 1 piece of smoked haddock (6 ounces)
• 1 cod loin (5 ounces)
• 1 haddock loin (5 ounces)
• 1 skinless salmon fillet (5 ounces)
• several king prawns (optional)

For the Sauce:

• 60g full fat cream cheese (1/4 cup)
• 60ml double cream (1/4 cup)
• 2 TBS water
• 1 large free range egg, beaten and divided in half
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• salt and black pepper to taste

To finish:

• 2 sheets filo pastry
• finely grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese

instructions:

How to cook Low Carb Fish Pies

1. First prepare the fish. Simmer the smoked haddock in some water for about 5 minutes until done. Remove and set aside to cool. Poach the remaining fish fillets in a clean pot of water until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Add the prawns(If using) to the water and cook until pink. Scoop out and set aside to cool.
2. Have ready two buttered individual casserole dishes. Remove the skin from the smoked haddock and discard. Break the haddock into the buttered dishes, dividing it between the two. Likewise, break the remaining cooked fish into large bits and divide between the casseroles. Top with prawns if using.
3. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.
4. To make the sauce, put the cream cheese, double cream and water into a measuring beaker. Warm in the microwave on high for 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Remove and whisk. Add half of the beaten egg yolk, tempering it with a bit of the warm mixture if necessary. Return to the microwave and cook on high for 30 second intervals, whisking well after each, until smooth and thickened. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, onion powder and salt and black pepper to taste. Divide between the two casserole dishes, pouring half over each to cover the fish. Press lightly so that it reaches the bottom.
5. Unroll two sheets of filo pastry. Beat a bit of water with the remaining egg yolk and brush over each sheet. Crumble the sheets and place one on top of each casserole dish. Grate a bit of the cheese on top and place the casseroles onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown and the pies are heated through. Serve hot.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I worked out the calorie count for the 800 fast diet. It comes in at 487cal per serving, which means I was bang on eating only half the serving myself. (approx 245cal) The carb count per full serving 10.37g.  All told (for a full serving) it was 64% Protein and 5 % Carb. So not too bad. And it was delicious!  
Overall I am very impressed with Seafresh.  Their products and service are outstanding.  I would highly recommend them to anyone.  I see a Kedgeree in our future with some of that smoked Haddock, which is something I haven't done on  here yet, but have always wanted to.  Watch this space.  There is still a whole lot of goodness to come!
A few things about Seafresh:

• Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
• All packages are carefully hand packed.
• Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount. 
• Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
• Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
• Wide variety to choose from. 

Do check them out on their website to find out more.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Note - Although I was gifted with product free of charge for the purposes of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange, nor would my integrity allow me to recommend anything if I did not truly like it. Any and all my opinions are my own entirely.