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1
Place the milk, stock, thyme, garlic and bay leaf in a deep non-stick frying pan and warm gently; do not boil.
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2
Season the cod, then add it to the liquid and allow to poach gently for 5-8 minutes, until it is just cooked through and flakes easily.
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3
Remove the fish and lay on paper towels.
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4
Strain the poaching liquid through a fine sieve and reserve.
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5
Put 50g of the unsalted butter in a deep frying pan over a moderate to high heat.
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6
Add the leeks, season well and cook for 3-5 minutes until lightly coloured.
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7
Add the chicken stock and cook the leeks for a further 5 minutes until almost cooked through, then set aside.
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8
Melt the remaining butter in a medium sized saucepan over a moderate heat.
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9
Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes.
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10
Add a little of the fish-poaching liquid and whisk well.
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11
Add the remaining liquid and continue to stir until the mixture has thickened and has lost the raw flour taste.
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12
Divide the cod, leeks and blue cheese evenly between four individual pie dishes.
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13
Add the parsley to the white sauce, adjust the seasoning if necessary then spoon into the pie dishes.
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14
Brush the top of the inside of each dish with a little egg yolk, then lay the pastry over the top, sealing it at the top edge and over the dish.
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15
Slice the excess pastry off.
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16
At this stage either put the pies in the fridge to bake later, or preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
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17
Before baking, brush the pastry lids with egg yolk and make two slits for the steam to escape.
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18
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden.
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19
Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
