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4 medium red potatoes, cubed (or about 2 cups of quartered small potatoes) 4 cups water Kosher salt 1 pound cubed crappie flesh (or northern) 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoon butter 1 cup thinly sliced celery (see notes) 1 small yellow onion, diced 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped 1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon leaves, minced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons ouzo (see notes) 2 cups whole milk Sea salt and cracked pepper Italian parsley and dill fronds for garnishing
Instructions:
In a medium sized pot, add the potatoes, water, and a few pinches of Kosher salt. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the fish and bay leaves. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes or until it flakes easily. Remove the fish and set aside. Measure out 2 cups of the liquid and set aside. Discard the remaining liquid. To the dry pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onion. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until softened, stirring often. Add the garlic, thyme, and tarragon. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the reserved 2 cups of cooking liquid, whisking constantly. Add in the milk and ouzo. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the potatoes and fish and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the kalamojakka into bowls and garnish with parsley and dill. Yield: 4 servings.
Notes:
I adapted this recipe from the original source, Modern Carnivore at modcarn.com. This recipe was passed along to me by Joe Kapsch, who also goes by the nickname Crappie Joe. With a name like Crappie Joe, I figured he would know a good fish recipe when he saw one. While he said he had not yet tried this recipe, he wanted to know my thoughts on it. It did not disappoint. I would describe this dish as a Finnish-French fusion. Flour thickeners are not usually used in mojakkas, but it did make the dish more hearty. I was impressed with the addition of fresh herbs and red potatoes in the typically solid beige soup. The liqueur was a pleasant surprise. The original recipe called for Pernod, a French anise liqueur. Crappie Joe said his friend told him to use ouzo, which is an anise flavored liqueur from Greece. Ouzo is traditionally distilled from grapes, which makes it a great choice for a St. Urho’s celebration. Mike’s Liquor in Ely has both types of liqueur to choose from. The recipe also called for leeks instead of celery, but the Babbitt Zup’s did not have any in stock. I called the Ely Zup’s and they did have leeks, but I just decided to use the celery I had on hand. Fennel would also make a nice addition if you want to bump up the anise flavor. Another change I made was to substitute crappie for northern. With a name like Crappie Joe, I felt this recipe would be best made with crappies. Kalamojakka ala Crappie Joe sure has a nice ring to it.
CREAM ALE KALAMOJAKKA
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups water 1 can (12 ounces) Castle Danger Castle Cream Ale 1/2 pound smoked whitefish 2 bay leaves 5 allspice berries 10 black peppercorns 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium yellow onion, diced 4 cups cubed yellow potatoes 1 small bunch of fresh dill (plus extra for garnishing) 1 cup milk 1 pound northern (or other white fleshed fish), cut into bite sized pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt and white pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
In a medium sized pot, add the water, beer, smoked fish, bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns. Heat the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the fish and set aside for the spread. Strain the remaining liquid through several layers of cheesecloth into a heat-proof bowl. Discard the spices. Add the butter to the pot and turn the heat to medium. Once hot, add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the stock back into the pot along with the potatoes and dill. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are almost tender. Add the milk and fish. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook just until the fish is flaky and cooked through. Remove and discard the dill. Gently stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve with Brainstorm Bakery rye and smoked whitefish spread. Yield: 4-5 servings.
Notes: A friend of mine said her family used to make kalamojakka every winter. She doesn’t have a written recipe, but they made it with smoked whitefish and beer. I was intrigued by those ingredients and thought I should give it a try. Smoked fish can be a bit overpowering, so I just used it to flavor the stock. I took the leftover smoked fish and made it into a simple spread and served it on Brainstorm Bakery rye bread. To make the whitefish spread, remove the skin and bones from the fish. Roughly chop the flesh. Beat together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup of skyr or sour cream, 2 tablespoons horseradish sauce, 1/4 cup minced fresh chives, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, and salt and black pepper to taste. Serve over rye bread and garnish with sliced radishes and additional herbs. Yield: 8 Servings.
