Pike perch with creamy pumpkin and cucumber
This dish is based on three familiar and affordable products: pike perch, pumpkin and fresh cucumber . With skillful use, they make up a harmonious trio that can become part of a family dinner or dinner party. By the way, you can actively use the vegetable component to serve other dishes. A mix of pumpkin, cucumber and cream, for example, would go great with chicken or turkey.
Ingredients
Servings 4- 600 g zander fillet
- 120 g pumpkin pulp
- 200 g cucumbers
- 200 ml cream with 33-35% fat
- 4 quail eggs
- 40 g of roasted hazelnuts
- 60 g red caviar
- 80 g vegetable oil
- 40 g butter
- juice of half a lemon
- salt, freshly ground black pepper
- 80 ml cream with a fat content of 33-35%
- 20 g Russian mustard
- 100 grams of dill
- 100 ml vegetable oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil with a delicate aroma
Cooking
Step 1
In advance for green oil, blend dill (stems and leaves) with 100 ml of vegetable oil in a blender. Let stand until use and strain.
Step 2
Cut the pike perch into 4 equal pieces of about 150 g each, salt, pepper and pour plenty of lemon juice.
Step 3
Cut the pumpkin into small cubes of about 3x3 mm, cut the cucumber into 4 parts lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut the pulp into cubes, like a pumpkin.
Step 4
Boil quail eggs. To do this, when the water boils, lower the eggs and cook for exactly 2 minutes 15 seconds. Remove from heat immediately and cover with very cold running water. The eggs will turn out soft.
Step 5
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the fillet for 2 minutes, on each side, starting from the side with the skin. Transfer the fish to a baking sheet covered with baking paper, bake in the oven at 180 ° C for 8-10 minutes.
Step 6
While pike perch is cooking, make garnish and sauce. Fry the pumpkin in butter, 2 minutes. Add cucumber and immediately pour cream, salt. While stirring, evaporate the cream to a thick porridge, 2-3 minutes. It is this way of preparing the side dish that will make the pumpkin creamy, and the cucumber will be crispy and fresh.
Step 7
For sauce, combine cream and mustard in a saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Warm up, bring to the very beginning of the boil. Remove from fire.
Step 8
To serve, put the mixture of cucumber and pumpkin in the center of a deep plate, put the pike perch on top. Cut the egg in half and lay it on different sides. Chop the hazelnut with the wide side of the knife and sprinkle a little on the pumpkin. Garnish the dish with green butter, mustard sauce and red caviar.