Hot smoked pike-perch fillet with sauerkraut and vegetable garnish

• 4 pikeperch fillets
• 1 bowl of coarse sea salt

For the candied sauerkraut:
• 500 g fresh sauerkraut
• 50 g goose fat
• 50 g onions, cut into rings
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 100 ml white wine
• 1 herbal bag (tea bag filled
with peppercorns,
Coriander seeds, cloves,
Juniper berries, bay leaf)
• 1 pinch of salt

For the sauerkraut sauce:
• 1 shallot
• 1 juniper berry
• 100 g sauerkraut
• 500 ml white wine
• 500 ml broth
• 500 ml crème fraiche
• Salt
• Pepper

For the vegetable garnish:
• 8 Brussels sprouts
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 1 courgette
• Olive oil

Rinse the sauerkraut briefly with cold water. Heat the goose fat in a pan and sauté the onion rings and garlic. Add the sauerkraut and heat. Deglaze with the white wine and season with salt and pepper. Pour everything into a casserole dish and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Cook in a closed grill system at 130 °C for about 1 ½ hours.

For the sauerkraut sauce, finely chop the shallots and put them in a pot with the other ingredients and bring everything to the boil. Add the sauerkraut and remove the juniper berries. Puree everything and pour through a fine sieve. Bring the sauce back to the boil.
Check the pikeperch fillet for bones and remove any if necessary. Pat dry and place on the grill in the Bradley Smoker, also place the bowl of coarse sea salt in the smoker. Smoke at 90 °C for around 20-30 minutes.

For the vegetable garnish, clean the Brussels sprouts and cook until done. Fry the cherry tomatoes in a pan with a little olive oil and grill for 10 minutes in a closed grill system at 140 °C. Use a ball cutter to cut small balls out of the zucchini and blanch briefly.

Place the candied sauerkraut on a plate. Place the smoked pikeperch fillet on top with a little smoked sea salt and arrange the vegetables around it. Drizzle with the sauerkraut sauce.

FIRE&FOOD Issue 4-2019