Smoked Rāwaru Wings and Frames with Herby Creme Fraiche and Cucumber Pickle
Our #EatNZKaitaki Katherine Mitchell is a food educator and tourism host of Fiordland Charters. She shares her land and ocean skills with guests and Te Anau locals - including delicious kai!
At the end of a day's fishing aboard our charter boat MV Pembroke I head down the back of the boat and start fileting the day's catch. Eyes watch from behind as I work on the fish, there is a special technique for fileting Rāwaru/Blue Cod by which you peel the filet off the skin leaving behind the bones. This unusual method sparks a lot of interest but when I start cleaning the fish head, removing the wings and portioning frames I am usually asked if I am saving these pieces for bait. “Not bait, this is all for you” I reply.
We are so used to Rāwaru being served almost exclusively battered and fried, 1 fish equals 2 filets destined for the deep fryer and the rest of the fish is never thought of again. The filets may feed 1 or 2 people for a meal but the head, frames and wings provide all I need for several more meals.
This recipe is always a winner, people who have eaten Blue Cod for years but never tasted the wings, or tails cannot believe what they have been missing and more importantly what they have been wasting. This moment of realisation from our clients takes me to my happy place, it gives my work purpose. If I can get people eating the whole fish, they don't only explore new tastes and techniques but they learn to respect the animal they are eating and the ocean it came from.
RECIPE:
Smoked Rāwaru Wings and Frames with Herby Creme Fraiche and Cucumber Pickle
Ingredients:
Cucumber Pickle:
2 small/medium cucumbers
1 red onion
¾ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¾ cup water
2 tbsp white sugar, or to taste
2 tsp salt, or to taste
Peppercorns to taste
1 bay leaf
Fish Wings and Frames Curing Mix:
5 Blue Cod collars and frames (Moki, Snapper and Tarakihi also work well)
3/4 cup kitchen salt
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp fennel seeds lightly crushed
A good splash of something boozy (I prefer rum or whisky)
Herby Creme Fraiche:
250ml Creme Fraiche
Juice and zest of 1 lemon, or to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
½ tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper
Method
To cure the wings and frames:
Split each collar and frame in half and remove any excess moisture, mix together salt, sugar, fennel seeds and booze in a large bowl. Add in the wings and frames and give everything a good mix so that the wings are covered well in the salt/sugar mixture. Place in a sealed container and return to the fridge for a minimum of 3-4 hours but ideally overnight.
Make the pickle:
Thinly slice the cucumbers and red onions and place in a jar that can be sealed. Combine all of the other ingredients and whisk until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions, seal and refrigerate for a few hours. If they don't get eaten then these pickles will keep for up to a week in the fridge.
Make the Herby Creme Fraiche:
Combine all of the ingredients and season to taste, set aside in the fridge until needed
Smoke the fish:
A few hours prior to smoking, remove the wings anf frames from their container and give them a good wipe with a paper towel to remove any excess salt/sugar and moisture. Place the frames and wings on the smoking racks and allow to air dry for a few hours on the rear deck or at room temperature. Once the wings are dry and slightly tacky to touch they are ready to smoke.
Add a splash of whiskey or rum to a large handful of manuka woodchips and place in the bottom of the smoker. Put the racks with the wings and frames into the smoker and smoke on a low heat for approximately 20-30 minutes, ensuring the wings turn a golden brown colour. Set aside to cool.
To Serve:
Arrange the smoked wings on a platter with crackers or bruschetta alongside the Herby Creme Fraiche and Cucumber Pickle.
Recipe and words by our #EatNZKaitaki Katherine Mitchell @katherineinshadowland / @fiordlandcharters
Images by Irene Middleton @seacology.irene
