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The Hirshon Ultimate Icelandic Fish Stew – Plokkfiskur

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The Hirshon Ultimate Icelandic Fish Stew - Plokkfiskur

Plokkfiskur Image Used Under Creative Commons License From Jonathan Hirshon

My Citizens! Apologies all ’round for being dark these last 2 weeks – I have been extensively traveling throughout Iceland and Finland on my annual journey to my favorite places on the planet! While it is currently roasting in San Francisco at 107 degrees Fahrenheit (!) it was a cool and comfortable 45 degrees in Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland.

Now that I have returned to my Sanctum Sanctorum, I have a renewed sense of drive, purpose and vision for the future of TFD Nation – but more on that another time. Today, allow me to tantalize your tastebuds with a seemingly humble dish I enjoyed in Iceland for the first time – a recipe that may even be properly called a National Dish of the country: creamy fish stew!

Plokkfiskur (which literally means “plucked fish”) is – at its simplest – a combination of mild ocean fish, potatoes, onions and béchamel sauce. It is a firm favorite in Icelandic kitchens, a traditional dish and a true comfort food. A dear friend of mine took me to visit the restaurant Þrír Frakkar (Three Jackets), a restaurant where she worked for several years as she was getting her Doctorate.

This restaurant is very famous in Iceland for its traditional dishes, and I was privileged to dine on one of the rarest Icelandic delicacies: the sky blue eggs of the Auk, a seagoing bird that nests on high cliffs and whose eggs are truly delicious, unique and dangerous to gather! They are only available 2-3 weeks in June when the birds are nesting – and before you ask, no they are NOT endangered in any way.

Auk Egg

Auk Egg Image Used Under Creative Commons License From Jonathan Hirshon

In addition to my favorite Icelandic langoustine soup, I also dined upon Plokkfiskur for the first time –  a speciality of Þrír Frakkar, it was uniquely flavored with rich Béarnaise sauce, gratinéed cheese and – wait for it – CURRY POWDER. This is a totally unexpected ingredient to be found in a traditional Icelandic dish – I can only assume curry powder was introduced to the Island by whalers in the 19th century and it became a rare and coveted ingredient.

It’s a flavor surprise – but by all the ancient Gods of Culinary Wisdom, it WORKS. Apparently, this “fancy version” of the recipe served at Þrír Frakkar is famous throughout the country, and while much humbler versions are eaten throughout the island, this is the ultimate and the variant I will share with you today.

As noted on noseychef.com:

Plokkfiskur has its origins in the most noble of food principles – using up leftovers. When we bought fish in Iceland (from Fiskbú∂in at Sundlaudavegi 12), the cuts were all presented as whole sides, so it might not be unusual for an Icelandic family to end up with leftover cooked fish. In the UK, we buy in much smaller cuts; so in the NoseyKitchen, we had to do the whole shebang from scratch. Plokkfiskur can be bland if not seasoned up the wazoo, which might be why 3 Frakkar add curry.

Traditionally served with the sweet, dense Icelandic rye bread known as rúgbrauð (Roog-braeth), this is as rich, decadent and satisfying as any fish stew you’ll find. Being the supreme Sovereign of all things superlative, I of course have based my version of this classic dish not on the simple fisherman version, but the uptown-style served at 3 Jackets.

One very optional tweak I have made to the recipe is to use a bit of smoked Haddock, also known as Finnan Haddie, in addition to the standard Cod or Haddock (you can buy some at the link). I find a tiny bit of this ingredient in the stew really adds to the total flavor gestalt – but you can easily omit it. I also call for the unmatched Icelandic butter (best in the world!) and rare wild Arctic Thyme – you can order both from the links.

Rúgbrauð is the classic accompaniment – you can order it at the link. Please note that you should NEVER eat more than two slices at a time of this sweet and dense bread. If you’re not used to it, indulging in more than a few slices of this fiber-rich item will cause you to understand the reason for its well-deserved nickname of “Thunder Bread”!

I hope you enjoy this delicious taste of the North, my Citizens – even if you don’t like fish, this is absolutely fantastic and a must-try!

Battle on – the Generalissimo

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The Hirshon Ultimate Icelandic Fish Stew – Plokkfiskur
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The Hirshon Ultimate Icelandic Fish Stew - Plokkfiskur

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. cod (or haddock or any other codfish)
  • ¼ lb. smoked haddock (Finnan Haddie) (TFD change here, original was just regular cod or haddock, but I like the smoky flavor)
  • 1 lb. Russet Burbank or Kennebec potatoes
  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped
  • 11 oz. whole milk
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 oz. Icelandic butter, if you can find it - Smjor is my go-to brand, although Kerry Irish butter makes a good substitute
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tsp. mild yellow curry powder or to taste
  • ***
  • Béarnaise sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes
  • 3 tablespoons minced shallots
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
  • ***
  • Grated cheese to taste, TFD uses 50% Emmental and 50% cave-aged gruyere (about 1 cup total)
  • Salt, white pepper and course black pepper to taste
  • Wild arctic thyme for garnish
  • Snipped Chives for garnish (optional)
  • Rye Bread
  • Butter

Instructions

  1. First, make the béarnaise sauce:
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3-4 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking shallots, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer shallot reduction to a small bowl and let cool completely.
  4. Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it; set aside. Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer butter to a measuring cup.
  5. Drain blender and dry well. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in warm, dry blender. Purée mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream of droplets, discarding milk solids at bottom of measuring cup.
  6. Continue blending until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and tarragon and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
  7. For the stew:
  8. Peel the potatoes, then boil with bay leaves until fully cooked. Drain, discard the bay leaves and let cool.
  9. Bring plenty of water to a boil in pot: Put the cod and smoked haddock in, put the lid on and leave the fish in the water for about 10 minutes.
  10. Skin, bone and break up the fish into flakes - if using fillets, just flake the fish.
  11. Slowly heat milk in a saucepan almost to a boiling point.
  12. Meanwhile melt the butter and sauté onion over medium heat until soft. Do not allow it to brown. Add curry powder and stir.
  13. Sprinkle flour over the butter and onion, stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add warmed milk, stir and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
  14. Add fish and stir to break up the flakes. Season with salt, pepper and curry powder.
  15. Cut boiled potatoes into small bite-size pieces and fold into the stew.
  16. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
  17. Put the almost ready Plokkfiskur into a baking pan or gratiné pan. Pour béarnaise sauce on top of the fish stew. Then, put grated cheeses on top of it. Bake in the oven until the cheese turns golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
  18. Served with dark sweet Icelandic rye bread and plenty of butter.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/the-hirshon-ultimate-icelandic-fish-stew-plokkfiskur/

José Andrés Snapper Ceviche “Veracruz”

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José Andrés Snapper Ceviche "Veracruz"

José Andrés Snapper Ceviche “Veracruz” Image Used Under Creative Commons License From patijinich.com

Citizens, today I am honored to share a recipe from a man who is currently and deservedly in contention for the Nobel Peace Prize – Chef José Andrés! When Puerto Rico was virtually wrecked by hurricane Maria last year, Chef Andrés was on the scene feeding hundreds of thousands who would otherwise have gone hungry!

Today, in the midst of the longest government shutdown in history, he is now feeding thousands of furloughed federal workers at no charge who haven’t received a paycheck in a month!

Now, allow me with great reverence and respect to share one of his magnificent recipes, one based on a classic dish of Veracruz state in Mexico.

The cuisine of Veracruz is the regional cooking centered on the Mexican state that stretches over most of the country’s coast on the Gulf of Mexico. Its cooking is characterized by three main influences, indigenous, Spanish and Afro-Cuban, due to its history, which included the arrival of the Spanish and that of slaves from Africa and the Caribbean.

These influences have contributed many ingredients to the cooking including native vanilla, corn and seafood, along with rice, spices and tubers.

How much the three mix depending on the area of the state, with some areas more heavily favoring one or another. The state has worked to promote its cuisine both in Mexico and abroad as part of its tourism industry.

Veracruz cooking has three main influences: indigenous, Spanish and Afro-Cuban. The most important native influence is the state’s long coastline, meaning most areas have a wide array of seafood.

The indigenous cooking of the state, historically characterized by that of the Olmecs, the Huastecas and the Totonacs, has included ingredients such as vanilla, native to the Papantla area, and acuyo, also known as hoja santa.

Like other areas of Mexico, the staple foods were corn, beans and squash, supplemented by a variety of tropical fruits, along with chili peppers, tomatoes and avocados.

Popular tropical fruits today are papaya, mamey sapote and sapote, often found in milkshakes called licuados and ice cream. The Spanish introduced parsley, thyme, marjoram, bay laurel, cilantro, saffron, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, rice, almonds, olives, olive oil, garlic and capers, as well as pineapples and sugar cane from the Caribbean.

Spanish Mediterranean influence is best seen in the use of olives, olive oil and capers. The Afro-Cuban influence is due to the importation of slaves into Mexico from Africa and the Caribbean during the colonial period.

How much each of these influences affects local cooking varies. Zongolica is considered to have the purest indigenous cuisine. Tlacotalpan is considered to have the cuisine which is most Spanish in style.

One division of Veracruz is the cooking of the coast versus that of the mountains. The cooking of the coast shows the most foreign influence and the most fish, with dishes such as arroz a la tumbada, similar to paella. The cooking of the mountains contains a wide variety of mushrooms, greens, various flowers and corn dishes.

Typical dishes of the mountain city of Xalapa include stuffed jalapeño chili peppers, stuffed chipotle peppers, a stew made with the izote flower (from the yucca plant) as well as an adobo, red rice, pambazos, caldo blanco, tortas de gasparitos, chileatole, cooked poblano chili pepper strips and turnovers filled with squash flowers.

The state is also divided into seven regions, based on natural geography, ethnic composition and interactions with other parts of Mexico.

The Totonacs of the north of the state have had their food influenced by the French who immigrated to the area in the 19th century. Cooking in the south of the state shows influence from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as the Zapotecs migrated as far as here and traded goods with the Nahua peoples of the Gulf coast.

The most famous Veracruz dish is Huachinango a la Veracruzana (Snapper Veracruz style). It is a baked whole fish covered in a tomato-based sauce flavored with mostly European ingredients such as olives, garlic, capers and more.

Chef Andrés has adapted this specific recipe to combine the flavors of the dish with the cooking style of Veracruz ceviche, where uncooked fish is “cooked” by citrus juice. The combination is stunningly good and I hope you see fit to try this fantastic recipe from an even better man!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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José Andrés Snapper Ceviche “Veracruz”
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José Andrés Snapper Ceviche "Veracruz"

Ingredients

  • 1 cup kosher salt divided, plus more for seasoning
  • ¾ pound red snapper filet
  • 4 white pearl onions peeled into petals
  • 2 Roma or plum tomatoes
  • ⅔ cup Spanish manzanilla olives
  • ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 large limes)
  • ***
  • To garnish:
  • 4 Spanish manzanilla olives sliced into very thin round slivers
  • 28 Pickled Red Onion Slices
  • 28 fresh capers
  • 1 jalapeño or serrano chile sliced very thinly (optional)
  • 20 cilantro leaves
  • 12 nasturtium leaves
  • 12 sorrel leaves
  • 12 watercress leaves
  • Pinch edible flowers such as nasturtium blossom, mustard blossom, marigold petals
  • Pinch ground chile pequín
  • Extra-virgin olive oil and Maldon sea salt to finish

Instructions

  1. Cover the bottom of a small rectangular pan with half of the salt. Place fish on top of the salt layer and cover with the remaining salt. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for one hour.
  2. To a pot of heavily-salted boiling water, add the onion petals and cook for 20 seconds. Using a wire skimmer or spider, remove the onions, season with salt and submerge them in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process and set aside for garnish.
  3. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of each plum tomato. Locate the fleshy dividing wall of one segment inside the tomato. Slice alongside the dividing wall and open up the flesh of the tomato to expose the seeds.
  4. Remove the seeds and their pulp by slicing around the core of the tomato. Keep the seeds and their surrounding gel intact to create tomato seed “hearts” and set the "hearts" aside for garnish. Roughly chop the remaining outer tomato flesh.
  5. Drain the ⅔ cup olives and remove pits. Add the chopped outer tomato flesh, the pitted olives, and lime juice to a blender and puree until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, then set aside.
  6. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and rinse away the excess salt with water. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut the fish into thin slices.
  7. Spoon the olive tomato puree onto serving dishes. With tongs, place snapper slices on top of the dressing. Add olive slivers, pickled onion slices, onion petals, capers, tomato hearts, and (if desired) jalapeño slices.
  8. Drizzle on more puree, then garnish with cilantro, nasturtium, sorrel, watercress, and edible blossoms. Finish with ground chile pequín, olive oil, and sea salt. Serve immediately.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/jose-andres-snapper-ceviche-veracruz/

The Hirshon Jewish-Finnish Meat And Fish Pâté – Vorschmack

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The Hirshon Jewish-Finnish Meat And Fish Pâté - Vorschmack

Vorschmack Image Used Under Creative Commons License From flickr.com

Citizens, it is a decided fact that Finland is a place I consider a second home, as is true for most of the Nordic regions. This dish in many ways reflects the veritable essence of TFD, as it is a fusion of German Jewish, Russian and Finnish recipes and a synthesis of humble and gourmet elements – the very definition of myself in all ways! 😀

Vorschmack or forshmak (Yiddish: פֿאָרשמאַק‎, from archaic German Vorschmack, “foretaste” or “appetizer”) is an originally East European dish made of salty minced fish and/or meat. Different variants of this dish are especially common in Ashkenazi Jewish and Finnish cuisine. Some varieties are also known in Russian and Polish cuisine.

In Jewish cuisine,, according to legendary food historian Gil Marks, the German name points to the possible Germanic origin of this dish. William Pokhlyobkin describes it as an originally East Prussian hot appetizer which was made of fried herring. The dish was adopted and brought eastwards by Ashkenazi Jews which transformed it into a cold appetizer, a pâté made of chopped brined herring. While the name forshmak became common in Ukraine, Polish and Lithuanian Jews usually called it gehakte herring (“chopped herring”).

Traditional recipes include chopped hard-boiled egg, onion and grated fresh apple. Sometimes potatoes are also added. The appetizer is usually served as a salad or as a spread on bread, crackers or kichlach (cookies). It may also be eaten for breakfast or as a main course, usually with boiled potatoes.

Although nowadays vorschmack is mainly associated with Jewish cuisine in Russia, historically different versions of this dish (Russian: форшмак) were known there. These were usually hot zakuski (appetizers) or breakfast dishes. A Gift to Young Housewives, a classical Russian cookbook by Elena Molokhovets, provides three recipes of hot vorschmack in its first edition (1861) and further variants were added in subsequent editions.

In one recipe, meat (veal or beef), herring, white bread and onions are minced, mixed with smetana (sour cream) or cream and baked. Other recipes include only herring (without meat), as well as other ingredients, such as potatoes, eggs and apples. Even more elaborate recipes with further details on cooking techniques are given in another classical Russian cookery textbook,

In Finnish cuisine, vorschmack is usually prepared out of ground meat, anchovies or herring and onions. The dish is usually garnished with potatoes, pickles and smetana (sour cream). Snaps is usually served in combination with eating vorschmack. Some recipes include cognac.

There are several stories regarding the origin of the dish, but it has become a traditional Finnish dish as it was one of the favorite appetizers of the Finnish statesman, war hero and gourmand Marshall Gustaf Mannerheim. Some sources say Mannerheim brought the dish to Finland from Poland or Russia, but there have not been any definite sources for these claims.

It was taken to Finland after 1917 by Marshal Mannerheim, who had served at Russian court as officer of the last Czarina’s Chevalier Guard. The story says that Mannerheim took the recipe first to the Kämp hotel. However, the chef at the Kämp was not interested in vorschmack, and therefore Mannerheim brought the recipe across the Esplanade Park to the Savoy restaurant.

The restaurant Savoy at the top floor of one of the buildings around the Esplanadi in central Helsinki is now famous for its vorschmack. The restaurant used to be frequented by Mannerheim and Mannerheim’s table at the Savoy was always reserved and, out of respect, no one would ever consider demanding to be seated there. Savoy still today keeps a similar style decor and menu as in the days of Mannerheim. TFD himself first sampled vorschmack at this very restaurant and was seated next to Mannerheim’s table, in fact!

My version of this recipe combines elements from the original Jewish recipe with its use of grated sour apple, but is otherwise served in the Finnish style and seasoned to my specific tastes. I recognize this is an unusual recipe with ingredients Americans would normally not think to put together. Trust me, it’s delicious – just think of it as a hybrid between pâté and steak tartare, with an element of umami from the salty fish.

You can buy the Swedish-style anchovies (actually sprats) here and excellent Jewish-style herring fillets here.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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The Hirshon Jewish-Finnish Meat And Fish Pâté – Vorschmack
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The Hirshon Jewish-Finnish Meat And Fish Pâté - Vorschmack

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ lbs. boned leg of beef
  • ½ lb. boned lamb
  • 2 Jewish-style herring fillets
  • 1 ounce Ortiz brand anchovy
  • 1 ounce Abba brand Swedish anchovy (if unavailable, use regular Ortiz brand anchovies, but try and find the real deal)
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 shallots
  • ⅛ cup tomato paste
  • 3 whole garlic cloves
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed
  • White pepper, freshly-ground
  • Black pepper, freshly-ground
  • 3 allspice berries, freshly-ground
  • Salt to taste (be very light with the salt)
  • Beef stock
  • Cognac
  • ***
  • For garnish:
  • Pickled beet, cubed
  • Sour pickled, cubed
  • Smetana (preferred) or Daisy brand sour cream
  • Baked or mashed potatoes

Instructions

  1. Take off all the fat from the beef and lamb and cut into medium-sized pieces. Peel the onions and shallots and cut them into 4 pieces each.
  2. Put a little vegetable oil on a baking sheet, put the meat, 3 of the garlic cloves, shallots and onions on the pan. Sprinkle with oil.
  3. Bake in a 375 degree F oven until slightly brown, turn over once so that the browning is equal on all sides. When ready, take the pan from the oven and let cool.
  4. In a food processor, place some pieces of baked meat, garlic and onions and spoon in some beef stock. Process well and when smooth, empty the bowl into a heavy cast iron Dutch oven. Process the rest of the meat, garlic and onions.
  5. Then, add herring fillets, anchovies, sour apples, tomato paste and fresh garlic to the food processor. Moisten with more stock; so the food processor can work well. Process in the same way as the meats until smooth. Combine the fish mixture thoroughly with the meat and onion mixture in the Dutch oven.
  6. Moisten the combined blend in the iron kettle with a little bit of cognac and some more stock. Heat the kettle slowly and turn often with a wooden spoon.
  7. Add the white and black pepper as well as the ground allspice and check the salt (it must not become too salty).
  8. Now, turn often with wooden spoon and let simmer slowly for 5 – 6 hours. Add more stock as the liquid evaporates. The blend must be thick like heavy cream, but not too dry.
  9. Control the flavor to your preference with additional cognac, stock, seasoning and fish. Be careful with salt as it concentrates while the dish is cooking. Turn often with a wooden spoon, so that is does not burn on the bottom.
  10. If you do not have time to wait those 5-6 hours in one batch, cook half on one day for half the time, let cool and continue with the remaining the day after.
  11. Let the vorschmack cool, then put it in glass jars and refrigerate.
  12. Serve cold as an appetizer like a “pâté” on Russian and Finnish-style sour rye bread, with champagne and vodka along with all the prescribed sides.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/the-hirshon-jewish-finnish-meat-and-fish-pate-vorschmack/