Soup With Northern Pike And Manitoba Morel Dumplings

Chef Craig Guenther
Blaze Bistro

The goldeye marinade used here is available at seafood stores and gives the fish a deep red colour. Note: If you don’t have a smoker you can use a tinfoil-lined pan  placed on a rack in your barbecue. Heat the bottom of the pan until it smokes. Place the fish on a rack above the pan and close lid.

Ingredients
Northern pike dumplings
1 Tbsp butter
3.5 oz chopped fresh morels (reduce by half if using dried)
1 small red pepper, finely diced
1 small yellow pepper, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
7 oz pike fillets, boneless
1 egg
2 Tbsp soft butter
1 oz whipping cream
2 Tbsp chopped dill
Saffron broth
2 L water
1 lb pike trim (unusable pieces of pike including bones)
2 cloves garlic
1 large shallot
3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
7 saffron leaves
Salt, to taste

Smoked northern pike
2 Tbsp goldeye marinade powder
1/4 cup water
2 pike fillets, cleaned and deboned

Smoke mixture
1/2 cup alder wood shavings (any type of smoking wood will do, ie. hickory, mesquite)
1/2 cup wild rice
1 cinnamon stick broken into four pieces
3 orange tea bags
Vegetable garnish
4-8 asparagus tips, cleaned and blanched
4 pieces fresh morels, blanched
1 small red pepper, finely diced
1 small yellow pepper, finely diced
1 small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

Method
Saffron broth

1. In a small soup pot, add cold water, pike trim, garlic, shallot, saffron and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and let simmer for 45 minutes. Strain to remove solids. Season with salt. Set aside and keep warm.

Northern pike dumplings

1. In a saucepan, melt butter and sauté vegetables until tender. Set aside to chill.
2. In a food processor, pulse the pike until it forms a soft mass. Blend in egg, soft butter and cream. Season with salt.
3. Form vegetables and processed pike together into dumplings.
4. In boiling water, poach dumplings (they will float to the top when done).
5. Chill dumplings and set aside.

Smoked northern pike

1. Combine the goldeye marinade and water together. Be careful not to spill because it will stain anything it touches.
2. Dip the fillets into the marinade for one minute.
3. Combine all other ingredients for smoking in a smoker. Smoke for 25 minutes.
4. Remove and chill. Slice pike.

To serve

1. Divide the vegetable garnish among the plates and top each with sliced pike.
2. Top with warm dumplings and pour the hot broth on top.

Yield 4 servings