Pikeperch with Paprika Sauerkraut and Riesling Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 80 g Butter
• 60 g ajvar
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
• 350 g sauerkraut
• 100 g waxy potatoes
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 350 ml vegetable broth
• 1 Shallot
• 1 Garlic clove
• 250 ml fish stock
• 200 ml Riesling wine
• 20 ml vermouth (e.g., Noilly Prat)
• 150 ml Heavy Cream
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 juniper berries
• 600 g pikeperch fillet
• 2 tbsp plant oil
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel the onion and cut into thin strips. Sauté in 1 tbsp hot butter in a pot until translucent. Add ajvar and paprika, then stir in well-drained sauerkraut. Peel, wash, and grate the potatoes finely; mix into the kraut. Season with salt and pepper, pour in broth, cover partially, and simmer gently over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more broth if needed.

2. 2.

   For the sauce, peel and dice the shallot and garlic. Sauté in 1 tbsp butter until translucent, deglaze with fish stock, wine, and vermouth, then bring to a boil. Add cream, bay leaf, and juniper berries; reduce by about half.

3. 3.

   Rinse the fish, pat dry, and cut into four roughly equal pieces. Season with salt and pepper. In a hot greased pan, cook skin-side down for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and let finish cooking over low heat for a few more minutes. Melt 1 tbsp butter with parsley in the pan and drizzle over the fish.

4. 4.

   Stir 1 tbsp butter into the kraut, taste, and serve on plates (preferably without excess liquid).

5. 5.

   Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, reheat, add remaining butter, season, and whisk until frothy. Spread foam around the kraut, place the fish skin-side up in the center, and serve.