Choucroute with Seafood

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

8 kipfler potatoes, unpeeled and washed well
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 small onion, finely diced
750g sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
3 juniper berries, bruised
1 bay leaf
375ml white wine (ideally a dry riesling)
250ml chicken stock
1 x 200g blue-eye trevalla fillet (or other firm white fish like snapper, mulloway or rockling), skin on, cut into 4 pieces
1 x 200g salmon fillet, skin on, cut into 4 pieces
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
16 black mussels, debearded and scrubbed
8 raw prawns, shelled and deveined, with tails intact
1 x 200g smoked trout fillet, skin and bones removed (see note)
2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, very finely chopped

Sauce
1 French shallot, finely chopped
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp white wine
3 tbsp cream
150g butter, chilled and cubed

Method

Place the potatoes in a saucepan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set potatoes aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and sweat for 5 minutes until very soft. Stir in the juniper berries and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes before adding the sauerkraut and some cracked pepper to taste. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the stock. Turn the heat down to low and simmer gently, covered, for 45 minutes.

For the sauce, place the shallot, vinegar and wine in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 5–6 minutes until reduced by two-thirds. Stir in the cream and reduce for 2–3 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and, little by little, start whisking in the cold butter, a few cubes at a time. Keep whisking until all the butter is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy. Keep warm.

Remove lid from sauerkraut and turn off the heat – there should be very little liquid left.

Divide the smoked trout into rough chunks and add to the sauerkraut along with the potatoes to warm through. Add the mussels to the sauerkraut, cover the pan and steam for 4–5 minutes until the mussels open.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Drizzle a little extra oil over the blue-eye and salmon and season with salt and pepper. Cook the fish, skin-side down, for 2–3 minutes until the skin is crisp. Flip and cook for 2 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Once the mussels are cooked, add in the prawns and replace the lid. Note – the prawns will cook very quickly. As soon as they start to curl up, remove the pan from the heat.

To serve, place the sauerkraut, prawns and mussels, smoked trout and potatoes on a large platter. Arrange the blue-eye and salmon on top, drizzle generously with the sauce and serve with a sprinkle of parsley.

Note: You can use other great smoked fish alternatives like hot-smoked eel, kingfish, haddock, cod or even smoked salmon.