Mary Berry’s Fish Pie dinner party menu

Butternut Squash Soup

“Unlike pumpkins, butternut squashes are available all year,” says Mary Berry. “Shaped like a large peanut, they have a sweet orange flesh. Roasting them first in the oven means you don’t have to tackle removing the tough skin, and it fills the kitchen with a delicious aroma. The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead and freezes well too.”

Ingredients
(Serves 6)
3 small butternut squashes, about 1.6kg (3 1/2lb) total weight
About 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
25g (1oz) butter
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 large celery sticks, sliced
2.5cm (1in) piece fresh root ginger, grated
1.2-1.3 litres (2-2 1/4 pints) vegetable stock
Leaves from 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Method
Cut the butternut squashes in half lengthways, scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon and discard. Arrange the squash halves cut-side up in a roasting tin just big enough to hold them in a single layer, and drizzle over the olive oil. Season each squash half with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Pour 150ml (1/4 pint) water around the squash. Slide on to the second set of runners of the roasting oven for about an hour, basting occasionally, until very tender. Allow them to cool.

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the onion, carrot, celery and grated ginger. Cook over a high heat for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Add the stock, rosemary and seasoning, and bring to the boil for a few minutes. Cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the squash skins and add to the pan. Blend the vegetables in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. (If you use a food processor, it’s easier to process the vegetables with a little of the liquid, adding the remaining liquid to the processed vegetables to make the soup.)

Taste for seasoning and serve hot with crusty bread.

Tips
This recipe can also be made with pumpkin when in season. Just cut into large chunks and roast in the preheated oven as above. If you are not a fan of totally puréed soup, when the onion, carrot and celery are tender, lift some out with a slotted spoon and do not purée with the rest. Keep to one side then return to the main puréed soup before serving.

Conventional oven
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Roast the squash halves in the preheated oven for about an hour or until tender. Soften the vegetables, covered over a low heat for about 20 minutes until tender.

Cod And Prawn Fish Pie With Potato And Parsnip Mash

“A good fish pie is perfect for the family and is an ideal dish to prepare ahead. I have added prawns to make it more special. If someone in your family doesn’t like prawns, simply leave them out and increase the quantity of cod to 900g (2 lb). Other white fish can be used instead of the cod such as haddock or hake  - use what is available.

“Anchovy sauce adds a depth of flavour to the pie – it’s usually available in the special ingredients section of good supermarkets. Your family either love or hate parsnips but it does make an interesting addition to the normal plain mashed potato. You could use celeriac and cook in the same way or if you’re not feeling brave then simply use all potato.”

Ingredients
(Serves 8)
50g (2oz) butter
1 large onion, roughly chopped
50g (2oz) plain flour
600ml (20fl oz) milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon anchovy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
700g (1½ lb) cod fillet, cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) pieces
4 eggs, hard boiled and roughly chopped
225g (8oz) peeled cooked prawns
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Topping
700g (1½ lb) parsnips
700g (1½ lb) old potatoes
200ml carton full fat crème fraiche
75g (3oz) mature Cheddar, grated

Method
Grease a shallow 2.6-litre (4 ½ pint), approx 30.5 x 23 cm (12 x 9 inches) ovenproof dish, using a little extra butter. Make the mashed potato topping. Peel the parsnips and the potatoes, cut into even sized chunks and cook in boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mash with the crème fraiche until smooth.

Meanwhile make the sauce for the fish pie. Melt the butter in a medium pan and gently cook the onion until soft. This can take up to 10 minutes, but don’t try to hurry the softening of the onions by turning up the heat – you don’t want the onions to brown. Sprinkle the flour, stir, and then gradually add the milk, stirring well until the sauce thickens. Season well with salt, freshly ground black pepper and anchovy sauce and then add the lemon juice and raw cod fillet. Stir the mixture gently until the cod is just cooked and leave to cool. Stir in the prawns and parsley, pour into the prepared dish then sprinkle over the chopped egg.

Spread the mashed potato mixture evenly over the mixture and sprinkle over the grated cheese.

Cook in the roasting oven on the third set of runners for about 30-35 minutes until the potato topping is golden and the pie piping hot.

Prepare ahead  
The pie can be prepared ahead to the end of stage 3. Cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking as directed. It’s best not to freeze the fish pie as hard-boiled eggs and mashed potato do not freeze particularly well

Conventional oven
Cook the pie in the oven preheated to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for about 40-45 minutes or until the potato topping is golden and crisp and the pie is piping hot.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

“Nothing is nicer than a crumble after Sunday lunch on a winter’s day. This is very quick as no pre-cooking of the fruit is required. The blackberries could be frozen – if you’re using them don’t defrost them before adding to the apples. Serve with cream or crème fraiche.

“Make completely up to 2 days ahead and keep covered in the fridge. Reheat, uncovered in a hot oven to serve.”

Ingredients 
(Serves 6)
675g (1½ lb) cooking apples, peeled
450g (1lb)  blackberries
100g (4oz) caster sugar
3 tablespoons water

Crumble topping
175g (6oz) flour
75g (3oz) butter
75g (3oz) Demerara sugar

You will need a deep ovenproof 1.8litre (3 pint) dish. 

Method
Core and slice the apples and place in the ovenproof dish. Scatter the blackberries over the top, and pour over the water. 

Whiz the flour, butter and Demerara sugar in a processor (or rub by hand) until like breadcrumbs. Sprinkle this mixture into the dish over the fruit. Pat down a little until even.

Bake the crumble, grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven with the cold shelf on the second set of runners, for about 25-30 minutes until pale golden at the edges. Transfer the now hot cold shelf into the centre of the simmering oven and sit the half cooked crumble on top. Continue to cook in the simmering oven for a further 20 minutes until the fruit is tender.

Serve hot with cream or custard.

Conventional oven
Preheat oven 180°C/160°Fan/gas 4. Cook in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes – 1 hour until golden brown and the fruit is tender and serve hot.