This pike perch with smoked pear is a little fancier of a recipe than I would normally post, but as this is Cooking to Entertain I will say this dish really WOWS! Not only are the flavors unique and delicious, the presentation is just gorgeous – perfect for a fancy dinner party.
Like my duck tartare recipe and my duck breast with cranberries, this recipe is adapted from a recently purchased cookbook (25 Best Chefs – Ukraine). I love this book as it shows a modern chef’s take on traditional recipes. Pike perch being one of the most popular ‘peasant’ fish available means this is essentially an upscale version of home cooking.
This recipe has three main components: the fish, the sauce, and the side. The fish is actually the easiest part of the recipe. Pike perch is a wonderfully flaky white fish that cooks quickly and has a great flavor. The sauce is made mainly of smoked pear rehydrating liquid and cream, then reduced to a thicker consistency. And the side are simply some cherry tomatoes tossed in oil, S&P, and a bit of nutmeg.
Does that sound that difficult? In fact this pike perch with smoked pear recipe is super easy; It’s way easier than your guests will imagine after seeing it so beautifully presented.
What Is Pike Perch
Pike perch, also called zander, is a species of ray-finned fish prized both for its taste and as a game fish. It is one of the most valuable food fishes in Europe and can pretty much be found in cuisine from Portugal to Ukraine.
Since it is a freshwater fish it is important to cook it to 50 degrees celsius to kill potential parasites. Unlike ocean fish, deep freezing does not work on many of the freshwater fishes parasites like nematodes, so you should never eat zander (pike perch) raw.
What Are Smoked Pears?
Smoked pears are something so uniquely Ukrainian I rarely ever find them outside the area, even on bordering European countries! Which means you might have a hard time finding them. You might be able to see about ordering them here but I’m not sure where they ship.
Essentially, smoked pears are whole pears that are smoked at low temperature for about a week. You end up with a shriveled hard black mass that might make you wonder ‘how do I use this?’ Well that’s the fun part; Smoked pears can be used in creams, stocks, desserts, and even the famous borshch!
How To Make Pike Perch With Smoked Pear
This recipe, as mentioned above, has three parts. The fish, the cream, and the tomatoes. Since the cream takes the longest you should start with that.
Smoked Pear Cream Ingredients
- 200 ml Heavy Cream
- 25 grams Smoked Pears – This is about 4-5 pears depending on the size
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 100 ml Water
Boil the water and add the dry, smoked pears. Turn off the heat and let sit in the hot water for about 1 hour. Remove the pears, add the cream, sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer. Stir until thickened. While the cream is being made you should be working on the rest of the dish, starting by preheating the oven to 180C.
Nutmeg Tomatoes Ingredients
- 250 grams Cherry Tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg – Freshly ground.
- 1 sprig Rosemary – Roughly chopped
- Black Pepper – Freshly cracked, optional
Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss so the tomatoes are well coated. These will bake at 180C for 15 minutes – the same time and tray as the fish.
Pike Perch (Zander) Ingredients
- 400-500 grams Pike Perch Fillet – Divided into 4 even pieces. This is about a pound of fish for those in America, but you can easily double the amount of fish and keep the rest of the dish amounts the same.
- 1 tsp Salt
- Olive Oil – As needed.
Drizzle the zander fillets with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with salt. Place on a baking tray skin side up (I line my baking tray with a silicone baking mat) and pour the tomatoes next to it. Place the tray in the oven on a middle shelf and bake for 15 minutes.
Baked Zander Plating Tips
For this particular baked zander recipe I recommend using a shallow bowl as your vessel. This is because it will keep the smoked pear cream nice and tight and allow you to build height without creating a lot of negative space (that’s what the rim is for).
Make a pool of smoked pear cream in the bowl and place the zander skin side up off-center. Spoon some tomatoes to the side of the fish.
Slice one of the rehydrated smoked pears into thin strips and drop them around the dish. I also like to garnish with some microgreens and a few drops of my homemade Aleppo chili oil.
More Fish Recipes You’ll Love
- Ambul Thiyal – Sri Lankan Sour Fish Curry
- Salmon En Croute
- Beer Battered Fish Tacos
- Mediterranean Baked Sea Bream
- Sea Bass Carpaccio
Pike Perch With Smoked Pear
Ingredients
Smoked Pear Cream
- 200 ml Heavy Cream
- 25 grams Smoked Pears About 4-5 pears depending on the size
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 100 ml Water
Nutmeg Tomatoes
- 250 grams Cherry Tomatoes
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg Freshly ground
- 1 sprig Rosemary Roughly chopped
- Black Pepper Freshly cracked, optional
Baked Zander (Pike Perch)
- 400-500 grams Pike Perch Fillet Divided into 4 even pieces
- 1 tsp Salt
- Olive Oil As needed
Instructions
- Boil the water. Turn off the heat and add the smoked pears. Rehydrate the smoked pears for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180C
Smoked Pears
- Remove the smoked pears from the water and add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Continue simmering and whisking until the sauce has thickened and reached a desirable consistency. While you are making the sauce you can work on the rest of the dish.
Nutmeg Tomatoes
- Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss so the tomatoes are well coated. These will bake at 180C for 15 minutes – the same time and tray as the fish.
Zander
- Drizzle the zander fillets with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with salt. Place on a baking tray skin side up (I line my baking tray with a silicone baking mat) and pour the tomatoes next to it. Place the tray in the oven on a middle shelf and bake for 15 minutes.
Plating
- Make a pool of smoked pear cream in the bowl and place the zander skin side up off-center. Spoon some tomatoes to the side of the fish.
- Slice the rehydrated smoked pears into thin strips and drop some around the dish. I also like to garnish with some microgreens and a few drops of my homemade Aleppo chili oil.
