Smoked Fish Pie (with local NZ fish)

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

Prepare the fish

1 whole smoked kahawai (or a firm smoked white fish)
5 pepper corns
two bay leaves
1 cup of milk

1. Carefully remove all the flesh from the fish, omitting any bones and place in a large microwavable dish
2. Add pepper corns, bay leaves and milk
3. Cook on high for 4 minutes
4. Remove fish, strain liquid and set aside

Prepare the Sauce

50grams butter
1 heaped tablespoon flour
Strained flavoured milk from the fish preparation
50grams grated cheddar cheese

1. Heat butter in a saucepan until melted.
2. Add flour, stirring constantly until it foams.
3. Slowly, stirring as you go, add flavoured milk.
4. Bring to the boil and stir until thickened.
5. Add cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
6. Add more milk if too thick.

Prepare the Pie

2 cups pre cooked rice, of which 1 tsp tumeric was added to water while cooking
3 desert spoons oilive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, halved
1 cup of cooked shellfish of your choice e.g. shrimp, scallops, muscles
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Heat olive oil in large frying pan and add onion, garlic and celery. Cook until onion has turned opaque.
2. In a large bowl combine the sauce, flaked smoked fish, vegetables and shellfish.
3. Spread rice across the bottom of an oven proof dish then spoon the sauce mixture on top of it.
   
4. Carefully insert the boiled eggs so that they are covered by the sauce.
5. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and place back in a pre heated oven on 170c for 30 mins.
6. After 30 mins turn oven to grill mode and grill off the top of the pie until golden.
   
7. Serve with mixed green leaf salad.