How Sorted Food Changed Home Cooking: Ben Ebbrell on Zero Waste, Meal Planning & Making Food Fun

Presenter / sources

• Host: Theo Randall
• Guest: Ben Ebbrell (co‑founder, Sorted Food)
• Full recipe referenced in the subtitles at falipario.co.uk/Theo (site name in the subtitles is a little unclear)
• Other mentions: Sorted Food, the Sorted Foundation, and the Sidekick meal‑planning app

Ingredients

• Fish: combination of cod, smoked haddock and prawns (quantities not specified)
• Eggs: several soft‑boiled or hard‑boiled eggs to scatter through the pie
• Vegetables: onion, carrot, celery (finely diced suggested), garlic, lots of fresh spinach, fresh parsley (stalks OK), lemon zest
• Starch / topping: potatoes for mashed potato topping (use a floury potato such as Maris Piper); butter for the mash
• Sauce: olive oil, a little plain flour (or cornflour) to thicken, stock (added gradually), cream to finish
• Flavorings: 1 bay leaf, a dollop of mustard (wholegrain or Dijon), salt and pepper, optional grated Parmesan
• To serve: green beans (cooked in butter)

Substitutions noted: use whichever mustard you have open; plain flour or cornflour can be used as thickener; Parmesan is optional.

Equipment & prep

• Large sauté pan or skillet with lid (to sweat veg)
• Saucepan for potatoes
• Ovenproof dish / casserole for assembling and baking
• Baking tray (place the ovenproof dish on this to catch bubbling/overflow)
• Knife, chopping board, wooden spoon/spatula
• (Optional) preheat the oven before baking — exact temperature/time are not given in the subtitles
• You can assemble the pie hours or the day before and bake when ready

Step‑by‑step method

1. Prepare veg and potatoes
   • Dice onion, carrot and celery (finer dice = quicker cook). Start the potatoes for mash (boil, drain, mash with a generous amount of butter).
2. Sweat the base
   • Heat olive oil in the pan, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and put the lid on to steam/sweat until softened.
   • Add garlic after the veg have softened.
   • Add a bay leaf while sweating for background flavor.
3. Make the sauce (white fish pie sauce)
   • Sprinkle in a little plain flour (or cornflour) to begin thickening.
   • Add stock gradually, a little at a time, stirring so it comes together and thickens.
   • Finish with a splash of cream.
   • Stir in lots of fresh spinach so it wilts into the sauce, add the parsley (stalks OK), lemon zest and a dollop of mustard. Season to taste.
   • The sauce should be thick and creamy but still saucy — it will thin slightly when the fish cooks in it.
4. Assemble
   • Place raw pieces of fish (cod, smoked haddock, prawns) into the ovenproof dish.
   • Pour the hot creamy, spinach‑and‑herb sauce over the raw fish so the fish cooks in the sauce.
   • Scatter halved/quartered soft‑ or hard‑boiled eggs into the dish.
   • Top with the mashed potato, spreading generously and allowing some mash to sit over the edges so it crisps up.
   • Optionally sprinkle grated Parmesan or extra seasoning on top.
5. Bake
   • Put the assembled dish on a baking tray to catch any bubbling overflow.
   • Bake until the filling is bubbling and the mash is crisp/bronzed at the edges (exact oven temperature and time are not specified).
6. Serve
   • Serve family‑style from the dish with buttered green beans. Leftovers freeze and reheat well.

Key technique cues & timing notes

• Sweat the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) with a lid to steam — this speeds softening and builds sweetness.
• Add garlic only after the veg have softened to avoid burning.
• Add flour, then stock a little at a time to avoid lumps and create a smooth, thickened sauce; finish with cream for richness.
• The raw fish cooks in the sauce during baking, which helps keep it succulent and traps juices in the pie.
• Use a baking tray under the ovenproof dish because the pie will bubble and can overflow.
• Be generous with the mash and allow the edges to brown/crisp for texture contrast.

Chef tips & common mistakes to avoid

• Don’t skip the bay leaf — it adds important background depth.
• Dice the veg finer for faster, more even cooking, but rougher cuts still work.
• Start the sauce with olive oil (Ben chose oil rather than butter).
• Add stock gradually to avoid lumps; finish with cream and lemon zest to brighten the sauce.
• Use a floury potato (Maris Piper recommended) so the mash soaks up flavors and gives a good texture.
• Place the ovenproof dish on a baking tray to avoid an oven mess from bubbling.
• Prepare ahead: this can be assembled hours or a day ahead and baked when needed — useful for entertaining.
• Use smoked haddock as a small “flavor bomb” to add smoky depth.
• Leftovers freeze well — don’t be precious.

Serving & plating suggestions

• Serve family‑style and let people help themselves.
• Pair with simple buttered green beans (and a glass of wine if desired).
• Aim for a slightly browned, crispy edge on the mash for contrast.

Variations & adaptations

• Bulk the pie with hard‑boiled eggs (traditional, budget‑friendly).
• Use any mustard you have (wholegrain, Dijon, etc.).
• Swap thickeners: plain flour or cornflour.
• Optional topping: grated Parmesan on the mash.
• Vary the seafood mix — adjust quantities or use different white fish and more or fewer prawns.

Other episode notes

• Ben emphasizes sustainability and reducing food waste: use leftovers, plan meals, and share ingredients across recipes (the Sidekick app helps plan recipes that share ingredients).
• Sorted initiatives mentioned include the Sorted Foundation (food education) and Sorted Kids (engaging children with food).

End credits / where to find the recipe

• Presenter: Theo Randall. Guest: Ben Ebbrell (Sorted Food).
• Subtitles direct viewers to the full fish pie recipe at falipario.co.uk/Theo and to check out Sorted Food, the Sorted Foundation and the Sidekick app.