Ingredients
2 medium heads broccoli, about 1 kg (2 lbs.)
250 g (9 oz) fillets of smoked herring (a.k.a. kipper – substitute another kind of smoked fish, provided it is sold in fillets, not thin slices)
1 1/2 C of milk (optional, to de-salt the herring if needed)
1/3 C crème fraîche (substitute heavy or sour cream)
1/4 C fresh breadcrumbs (unseasoned)
pepper
Preparation
(Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a first course.)
If you are using salted herring fillets, they need to be desalted: put them in a dish, cover with milk and let rest for at least 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain, rinse with water and pat dry before using.
Clean, trim and boil the broccoli florets until soft (but not falling apart). Drain thoroughly. Add in the crème fraîche and mash with a potato masher or a fork, until it forms a chunky purée. Season with pepper but very little to no salt, as the herring contains a fair amount.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Cut the herring in half-inch chunks, and arrange them in an even layer at the bottom of a medium baking dish. Top with the broccoli purée, flattening the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. (Alternately, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and reproduce this layering in serving circles, to make individual servings as pictured above.)
Put into the oven to bake for twenty minutes or so, until it is thoroughly heated and the breadcrumbs have turned golden. Serve immediately.
Make in my little springform pans.
