Recipes

Smoked Bluefish with Potato Pancakes, Greek Yogurt, and Dill

Jason Weiner

Almond, Bridgehampton, NY, and NYC

While chef Jason Weiner smokes his own bluefish to serve with these pancakes and dill yogurt, you can purchase it at specialty stores. Smoked trout makes a delicious substitute.

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 medium potatoes (a little less than a pound), peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons flour, sifted
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 3 egg whites
  • 4 teaspoons crème fraîche
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped dill
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • Pinch sugar
  • 1 pound mild smoked fish, such as bluefish or trout
  • Chives, roughly chopped

Method

To prepare the pancakes, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash the potatoes with the milk, making sure there are no lumps. Let cool.

Once cool, mix the flour into the potatoes. Add the whole eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then add in the egg whites. Mix in the crème fraîche one teaspoon at a time. The batter should have the consistency of hot pastry cream.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Pour large tablespoonfuls of batter into the skillet. The circles will form by themselves. Depending on the size of your skillet, you can cook 4 to 6 pancakes at a time. Cook until the edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes, then flip to cook the other side. Cook pancakes for another 2 minutes, then remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Add more butter to the skillet as needed.

To prepare the Greek yogurt, mix the yogurt, red onion, dill, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, white pepper, and sugar in a bowl.

To serve, lay 2 to 3 pancakes on a plate. Top with a few pieces of smoked fish. Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the fish. Garnish with chives and serve.

Yield

8 to 10 servings