Cuisine – Smoked fish dip & market tips

There have been great celebrations in Matakana as the Village Farmers’ Market marked its 20th year last Saturday, November 23. From Day One, I have been there most weekends, along with a core of loyal locals, who often stay to chat around one of the market tables with their coffee after they’ve done their purchasing early.

I remember a speaking engagement in the South Island in 2005 (one year later), when I extolled the possibilities for the future for growers, food producers and, as a consumer, the important and valuable connections that would be made as the farmers’ market movement grew. When I sat down, a belligerent farmer come over and told me in no uncertain terms that within three or four years these “markets” would fail and completely disappear. Wouldn’t it be good to meet this gentleman again, and talk about their forever popularity and the extent of the food connections that have been established through markets like this.

Too many of us are still not properly connected with food and its provenance. While this is understandable for those truly struggling with getting food on the table night after night, a trip to the market and the opportunity to engage with growers and farmers is worthwhile on every count. The genuine passion that these people share for food is admirable and one of the best spinoffs is when they become so successful they simply have to move on to manage the large businesses they have grown.

It is a real commitment for the stallholders who must rise before dawn to travel and get their stall ready before 8am. But that’s the time when you get the bargains and the pick of the crops. It is also less busy and that makes it easier to spot the seasonal fruit and veges that make their brief appearance. Right now, the strawberries are spectacular.

Another favourite stop I rush to is the Matakana Smokehouse (also open at the tiny store at the junction of Sharp and Matakana Roads, from Tuesday to Friday) for fresh and smoked fish. This week, Michael had smoked some fat whole mullet, which inspired me. I took one home and we warmed one side in tin foil, stripping it bare for a lovely lunch with salad. The remaining side was quickly made into a gorgeous smoked fish dip/spread. If there’s no mullet available, smoked snapper, kingfish, kahawai or salmon will work beautifully, too.

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Smoked fish spread

300g freshly smoked fish
1 small onion (or fennel bulb)
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 lemon, juice and rind
2 oranges
Salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper
Bunch of fresh coriander leaves

Remove all the bones and skin from the fish, and break the flesh into small pieces.

Dice the onion or fennel into tiny fine pieces. The smaller the better as you want them to flavour, not dominate the fish. Take a very small frying pan or heavy little saucepan and let the butter or oil warm over gentle heat. Add the chopped onion/fennel and cook very slowly and gently until it is soft and translucent.

In a bowl, mix the yogurt and mayonnaise together with the lemon juice and the cooked onion/fennel and taste this. Add a little salt, if needed and plenty of pepper.

Peel one of the oranges, removing all the white pith and dice the flesh into very small pieces.

Chop most of the coriander finely.

Fold in the smoked fish into the mayonnaise mixture with the chopped orange and coriander and mix very gently so you don’t turn it mushy.

You can now serve it on crackers, in a bowl for dipping with carrot and celery sticks, or make a fabulous smoked fish sandwich with sourdough bread.

Decorate with extra orange pieces and coriander leaves.

Makes enough for about 30 crackers.