Smoked Salmon and Pollock Fishcake Benedict
Ingredients:
8oz Alaksa Smokehouse Smoked Salmon, drained and skin removed
8oz fresh pollock
4 tablespoons Alaskan Salmon Roe, plus more for garnish
12 eggs
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 sprigs Italian Parsley, finely chopped
2 bunches spinach leaves, about 10oz, washed
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1-1/4 sticks unsalted butter
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
Red Chili Flakes
Several Dill Sprigs
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Procedure:
Cook the pollock by adding it to a steamer basket over a pot of water.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pollock and transfer it to a large bowl, then flake the fish and season with salt and pepper.
Add in the flaked smoked salmon and stir, then set aside.
In a large 12" skillet, pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium heat.
Add in the onion, pepper, and 3 cloves of sliced garlic, then season with salt and pepper.
Cook until translucent and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat, stir in 2 teaspoons of Old Bay, then stir the vegetable mixture into the fish mixture.
In a small bowl, whisk one egg, then add the beaten egg to the fish and vegetable mixture.
Now add the panko, parsley, and oregano to the fish and vegetable mixture and stir well until all is combined.
Refrigerate the fishcake mixture until cooled completely (can be done several hours up to a day in advance).
Preheat an oven to 350F and brush a 10x12 baking dish with butter.
Form the fishcake batter into 8 equal cakes, then place the cakes in the dish and brush each one carefully using 1 tablespoon of the Dijon mustard.
Bake the cakes until browned, about 15 minutes.
In a 2-quart saucepan, add 1.5 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon each of salt and vinegar.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to a simmer.
Crack an egg into a small bowl, then using a long-handled spoon, stir the water until it creates a vortex and pour the egg into the center of the vortex.
Cook the egg for 3 minutes, or until the outside is white and the inside is still jiggly (runny or can cook longer if preferable).
Transfer the egg using a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with 7 more eggs.
While the eggs are cooking, melt all the butter over very low heat, and keep warm.
Separate 3 remaining eggs, placing the yolks into the bowl of a blender or food processor, and discard the egg whites or save them for another use.
In the blender, add in the juice of 1/2 lemon, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay, and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
Blend on high speed until the eggs lighten in color and slightly increase in volume, about 2 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid of the blender and while blending, slowly pour in the hot butter.
Once all the butter is poured in, check the consistency of the hollandaise.
If it is too thick, pour in a little warm water while blending.
Transfer the hollandaise to a small bowl and mix in 4 tablespoons of salmon roe and keep warm.
In a large pot, pour in the remaining olive oil and 2 cloves of sliced garlic with a pinch of red chili flakes.
Heat the oil over medium heat and stir until the garlic is translucent, about 1 minute, then toss in all the spinach and season generously with salt and pepper.
Cover, keep heat at medium, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.
Stir, cook 1 more minute, turn off heat, cover and keep warm.
To assemble the benedicts, remove the fishcakes from the oven and place two cakes per plate, or all of them onto a big platter.
Top the cakes with spinach, then poached eggs, then pour a spoonful of hollandaise over the eggs, and garnish with more salmon roe and dill sprigs.
Serve immediately with crusty bread (optional).
