Smoked Bluefish Pâté with Hardtack Crackers

Name: Smoked Bluefish Pâté with Hardtack Crackers
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6-8
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; 1 ⁄ 2 cup light rye flour; 1 ⁄ 2 cup whole wheat flour; 1 ⁄ 4 cup sugar; 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tbsp. kosher salt; 3 ⁄ 4 cup ice-cold water; 8 oz. cream cheese, softened; 1 cup crème fraîche; 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt; 1 ⁄ 4 cup minced chives; 2 tbsp. minced parsley; 2 tbsp. minced tarragon; 2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes; 2 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce; Kosher salt, to taste; Zest and juice of 2 lemons; 1 lb. boneless, skinless smoked bluefish, flaked; Aleppo pepper, pickled mustard seeds, purslane, and sea beans, for garnish

Serves
serves 6-8

LANDON NORDEMAN

Another New England staple, bluefish, gets the haute cuisine treatment at Puritan & Company in Cambridge, where chef-owner Will Gilson serves it as a smoky paté. The unami-rich dish is served with buttery hardtack crackers, an update of a New England staple. This recipe first appeared in our December 2014 issue with the story Boston Uncommon.

Ingredients

For the Crackers

1 ¹⁄₂ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¹⁄₂ cup light rye flour
¹⁄₂ cup whole wheat flour
¹⁄₄ cup sugar
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. kosher salt
³⁄₄ cup ice-cold water

For the Pâté

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup crème fraîche
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
¹⁄₄ cup minced chives
2 tbsp. minced parsley
2 tbsp. minced tarragon
2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
2 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce
Kosher salt, to taste
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 lb. boneless, skinless smoked bluefish, flaked
Aleppo pepper, pickled mustard seeds, purslane, and sea beans, for garnish

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the crackers: Pulse flours, sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. With the motor running, slowly add water until dough forms. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.

Step 2

Heat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough ⅛" thick; trim edges to make a 21" square. Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut dough into 3" squares; transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes.

Step 3

Make the pâté: Stir cream cheese, crème fraîche, yogurt, chives, parsley, tarragon, chile flakes, hot sauce, salt, and lemon zest and juice in a bowl. Fold in bluefish and transfer pâté to four 8-oz. ramekins; invert onto serving platters. Garnish with Aleppo pepper, mustard seeds, purslane, and sea beans, if you like; serve with reserved crackers.

Make the crackers: Pulse flours, sugar, butter, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. With the motor running, slowly add water until dough forms. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough ⅛" thick; trim edges to make a 21" square. Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut dough into 3" squares; transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes.
Make the pâté: Stir cream cheese, crème fraîche, yogurt, chives, parsley, tarragon, chile flakes, hot sauce, salt, and lemon zest and juice in a bowl. Fold in bluefish and transfer pâté to four 8-oz. ramekins; invert onto serving platters. Garnish with Aleppo pepper, mustard seeds, purslane, and sea beans, if you like; serve with reserved crackers.