Smoked Fish Paté and Roosterkoek (Grill Cakes) Recipes

Snoek is a type of fish found off the coast of Cape Town. It’s the ideal variety for this recipe but you can also use yellowtail or angelfish. Whatever your choice, do ensure that you purchase fish that’s been cured by smoking, or you can smoke it yourself. Roosterkoek, in the Afrikaans language means, “grill cake”. These popular little bread rolls are often found at South African braais (barbecues). They’re usually baked over hot coals, but can also be cooked on a hot griddle or baked in the oven.

Recipes by: GOLD Restaurant
Serves: 10 (as an appetiser)
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: Paté (20 minutes) Roosterkoek (15 minutes)
Cooking: Roosterkoek (20 minutes)

T = tablespoon
t – teaspoon

Smoked Fish Paté

Ingredients

• 200 g smoked fish 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 small red or green chillies, seeded and finely chopped
• 100 g butter
• Zest and juice of ½ a lemon
• 30 ml (2 T) flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2.5 ml (½ t) milled black pepper
• 2.5 ml (½ t) salt
• 175 ml fresh cream

Method

1. Remove the fish skin and flake the flesh into small pieces.
2. In a large pan, on a moderate heat, soften the onion and chilli in half the butter. The onion must be translucent, not golden brown.
3. Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining butter, flaked fish, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, pepper, salt and cream.
4. Stir well to combine.
5. Check the flavour and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if it tastes too bland.
6. Spoon into a bowl and cover. Chill to firm up.
7. Serve with the roosterkoek.

Tip: Snoek paté can be made up to three days in advance and leftovers can be frozen for up to three months.

Roosterkoek

Ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour
• 3 g instant dried yeast
• 1 ml sugar
• 1-2 ml salt
• 5 ml (1-2 t) sunflower oil
• 70 ml warm water (approximate amount)

Method

1. Sift flour into a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix in yeast, sugar and salt.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil and water.
4. Mix into a dough (it may be necessary to add a little extra water) and knead for a few minutes until its elastic.
5. Plop the dough into an oiled bowl, cover lightly with oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm spot until doubled in bulk.
6. Gently punch down the dough.
7. Shape bits of dough into small balls between floured palms and place on a hot grid or griddle pan and cook until crisp. Alternatively, bake them in the oven for 20 minutes on 170°c.
8. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Tip: You’ll know they’re cooked if crisp on the outside and hollow sounding when tapped.