Smoked Wild Alaska Pollock Tartine with Goat Cheese & Pickled Vegetables

The Chef in the Hat's Smoked Wild Alaska Pollock Tartine

Note: This recipe might look overwhelming, but each aspect can be made on different days and have multiple utilizations. The brining and smoking can also be done with additional fish, which you can keep in your refrigerator for future use, such as a salad topping. The pickling can also be done ahead of time and kept for a few days. The pickling juice can be used for dressing with Dijon mustard and oil and also as a marinade for chicken before grilling.

Ingredients

14 to 16 oz Wild Alaska Pollock Fillet (3 pieces)

For the Brine

4 cup cold water

1 cup Salt

¾ cup Sugar

4 Bay leaves

4 thyme stems

1 teaspoon Chili (optional)

For the Smoking

2 cups coal briquets

2 cups applewood chips

For the Pickling Juice

2 cup water

1 cup white vinegar

½ cup sugar

¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)

1 tablespoon salt

3 bay leaves

6 whole black peppercorns

6 cardamom

1 whole medium size carrot, julienned

1 fennel bulb, julienned

10 snow peas, julienned

For the Tartine

4 large sourdough bread slices ½ inch thick, grilled

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 tablespoons soft goat cheese

1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

Pickle the Vegetables

Put EXCEPT the julienned carrots, fennel, and snow peas in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and cool.

Place julienned vegetables in the pickling juice overnight. Drain before using, keep juice refrigerated for future usage. Can be kept up to three weeks and used for a dressing or a marinade.

Brine the Fish

Brine fish in refrigerator for about 2 to 3 hours in a plastic bag. Rinse well when done and pad really dry. Keep aside

Smoke the Fish

Light coal to 180 degrees. Soak applewood chips in water for 20 minutes. Place wood atop the hot coals. Let smoke start for about 5 minutes. Place Alaska Pollock on the grill and smoke for about 1 ½ hour with coal set aside for indirect heat and temperature staying at 180/190 degrees. Remove when cooked all the way and chill.

Build the Tartine

Drizzle olive oil on the bread, grill and set aside to cool. Mix goat cheese with the olive oil. Spread the goat cheese on the grilled bread, add the shredded smoked Wild Alaskan Pollock crumbled and top with the pickled vegetables.

Makes 4 Serving