Baked Pike Pâté

⏳ Time

50 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

The original recipe for fish filling for pâté goes as follows: "1405. Fish filling for pâtés. 1 ½ pounds of pike, zander, perch, or large ruffe, cleaned, gutted, washed, cut, bones removed, finely chopped, salted; 1 finely chopped onion sautéed in a tablespoon of oil, add the chopped fish, lightly sauté, salt, sprinkle with 3–5 grains of finely crushed pepper, add the flesh of half a French 5-kopek roll, soaked and squeezed in water, broth, or milk, another tablespoon of fresh washed oil and 0.5 cup of broth or with 0.5 cup of thick cream, a little nutmeg and finely chopped herbs, mix, finely chop, pound in a mortar, and strain through a sieve. Eggs are not added to the fish filling from the aforementioned fish. However, if the filling is made from sturgeon and other large, non-sticky fish, it should be bound with 3–4 eggs." Source: commonrestaurant.com, section "Pies and Pâtés". This variation of baked pike pâté was intended as a standalone dish rather than an appetizer, hence the need for a denser texture, which is why an egg is included in the composition. Note that if you substitute fish or vegetable broth for wine and cream, use a simple roll made from water and flour, omit the egg, and use vegetable oil, you will end up with not only a vegetarian dish but also a fasting meal (not for every day, of course, but still). And it will still be pike pâté, very close to the original recipe. Just strongly advise against omitting the shrimp: they balance the flavor very well.

Ingredients

Ground Nutmeg - ¼ teaspoon
Peeled Cooked Shrimp - 6 pieces
Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
Dry White Wine - 1 fl oz
Onion - 1 head
10% cream - 1 fl oz
White bread - 1.1 oz
Parsley - 2 stems
Scallions - 1 stem
Large eggs - 1 piece
Salt - to taste
Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Sumac - to taste
Skate Fillet - 10.6 oz

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 320°F with convection, and then follow the rest almost according to the original recipe. Clean the onion or a couple of shallots, finely chop and sauté in a tablespoon of oil, add the fish to the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook the fish over medium heat until done. Then pour the white wine into the saucepan with the pike and onion and let it evaporate. Transfer the pike with the onion to a bowl and let it cool slightly.

Step 2

Remove all the bones from the fillet (which, as it turns out, there are quite a lot in pike), transfer it along with the onion and all the juices to a blender bowl. Also add the crumbled roll, thawed peeled shrimp, and chopped herbs.

Step 3

Pour in the cream, season with nutmeg, and blend the mixture until smooth, adjusting salt and pepper to taste, then add the raw egg and blend again.

Step 4

Grease a portioned baking dish with fat, place the pike pâté mixture in it, and smooth it out. For flavor, it’s very good to sprinkle sumac on top, which will give a wonderful delicate fruity sourness, and also toss in a handful of capers or green olives. A bay leaf will contribute to a pleasant aroma of the dish.