Fish Recipes - Snoek Terrine

Snoek, being on the SASSI approved fish list, is an ideal ingredient to make this Meatless Monday recipe even better. "Snoek, or Tyrsites atun, is an edible fish that is native to South African, South American and Australian waters. It is a silvery and oily fish, traditional to the Cape. It is available fresh when in season and frozen at other times of the year. It has long needle like bones and doesn't need to scaled before cooking." Snoek can be boiled to make smoorsnoek, braaied(on the open fire), grilled, salted, smoked or deep fried.



I am fortunate enough to receive a lightly smoked snoek almost every time my parents come for a visit and although I believe that a slice of whole wheat bread with butter and smoked snoek is heaven-on-a-plate, it is necessary to push the boundaries a bit now and then, especially after what I saw is possible at the coveted 2010 Eat Out Award Ceremony that I attended recently.

 I have been toiling with the idea of making a terrine for quite some time now and the snoek seemed like the perfect ingredient to star in this recipe. With a few other bits and bobs and the fresh dill in my garden, the plan came together quite quickly. I had to make 2 versions of the Snoek Terrine though, because the idea of getting my children to eat a clear savory gelee was almost inconceivable even though my children are not fussy eaters at all.



This was pretty much a improvised recipe,  but I jotted down a few ingredients for you. Experiment with different fish( smoked angel fish, tuna or even kippers will work), herbs or vegetables. I am sure you know what your family's preferences are. All I can add, is that this recipes is perfect for summer entertaining and he terrines can quite easily be made a day or two in advance to save valuable time in the kitchen.





Snoek Terrine Two Ways!



Serves 6



Option #1





Ingredients



500gr smoked snoek - bones removed and flaked

1 small red onion - very finely chopped

a handful of chopped dill

salt/pepper

1 chili - very finely chopped

zest and juice of a lemon

3 - 4 small gherkins

sprigs of dill

3 small chillies - halved

2 tbsp gelatin

250 ml fish stock - I used 1 sachet Ina Paarman Fish stock on a cup of hot water.



Place all the ingredients, except the gelatin and stock in a bowl and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning. Now sponge the gelatin in some cold water and then add the cup of  boiling water. Stir and allow to cool, but not set. Pour the stock mixture over the fish and mix. Do a last seasoning check before you set the terrine. Take one medium bread tin or 6 individual bread tins and line them with cling wrap. Place a sprig of  dill and a halved chilly in the bottom of each little tin. Spoon the fish mixture over the top until the tin is full. Fold the cling wrap over the top of the fish and set in the fridge for a couple of hours or until needed.

Serve with a slice of good wholewheat bread and a small side salad of baby greens and some caper berries.



Option # 2



Do the same as for the above recipe, but add 125ml of cream cheese to the fish mixture before you add the stock and set it!