Recipe of the week: Sourdough, smoked hake and toasted milk

120g semolina

6g salt

3ml malt syrup

To serve Clarified butter

Sorrel leaves, of medium size

For the milk chip and toasted milk purée

In a high-sided pot, toast the dry milk solids over medium-low heat, until dark brown. Stir the toasted dry milk solids into the milk and refrigerate overnight.

Purée the next day until completely smooth. Measure out 20g of the toasted milk purée and set aside for the hake. Dividing evenly, thinly spread the remaining purée onto two dehydrator mats and dehydrate for eight hours.

For the hake

Preheat the oven to 120°C. Toast the hay for 20 minutes, until fragrant.

Clean the hake fillet, removing any bones, skin or scales. Combine the brown sugar and kosher salt. In a non-reactive dish, spread a layer of cure the size of the piece of fish. Place the fish in the dish and cover with the remaining cure. After 25 minutes rinse the cure from the fish under cold water.

Prepare a pan to smoke the fish over the hay. Smoke the fish with little to no heat until the smoke dissipates. Place the fish in a bag and vacuum seal. Cook for 25 minutes in a 52°C water bath.

Shock in ice water. Remove the fish from the bag and pat dry. Using a spatula, work the fish with the toasted milk purée, smoked oil and lemon juice into a smooth mash. Season with salt.

For the sourdough

Combine the water, yeast and all-purpose flour. Place the starter into a clean, non-reactive container. Cover the vessel with a double layer of cheesecloth and leave in dark place at room temperature for two weeks.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the sourdough starter, semolina, salt and malt syrup, and mix, first on medium speed, then on high speed. Coat a plastic container with cooking spray. Using a bowl scraper, add the dough to the prepared container and leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into four portions. Roll a quarter of the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 6mm. Reserve the remaining dough for a later use. Punch the rolled sourdough with a 2.5cm ring cutter and transfer to a floured tray. Prove for an hour.

To serve

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add just enough clarified butter to coat the bottom of the pan. With an offset spatula, place four rounds of dough in the pan. Move the pan in a circular motion to maintain fat temperature and cook the sourdough evenly.

The rounds of dough will begin to rise. When bubbles begin to form on the surface, use a spoon to baste the sourdough with the hot butter. As the sourdough begins to puff up, continue to baste to cook and set the bubble. Flip the sourdough and quickly fry until browned on the top. Drain the sourdough on paper towels.

Top the puffed sourdough with a dollop of the hake, then a leaf of sorrel. Break off a 2.5cm by 2.5cm piece of milk chip and place atop the sorrel. With a blowtorch, burn the milk chip from one end to the other, forming a slight drape over the hake and until lightly charred. Serve immediately.

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