Matej Bloksa
This dish combines local fishing with wild flavours from the meadows. It features pike, cooked slowly to maintain its natural texture and moisture. The plate is defined by a concentrated parsley purée and a sauce made from hogweed seeds. These seeds provide a distinct aroma of citrus and wild spices, offering a modern take on traditional riverside ingredients
Pike (Brine)
Dissolve salt in water to create a 10% brine. Submerge pike fillets for 20 minutes. Remove, rinse briefly, and dry thoroughly.Keep refrigerated until use.
Dill fish farce
Bring water to a boil. Submerge the dill for 10 seconds, then immediately shock in ice water. Squeeze in a cloth until dry. Place the cold pike trim and salt in a blender. Blitz until the mixture becomes sticky.
Add the egg white and the dry blanched dill. Blend on high speed until the color is uniform. While blending, slowly pour in the cold cream until a smooth mousse forms and pass through a fine chinois for a perfectly silky texture. Keep refrigerated until
The Hogweed Foam
Place the hogweed seeds in a dry, hot saucepan. Toast until highly aromatic and just starting to release oils. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and infuse overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, add the cream, simple syrup, and reduced chicken stock to the infusion. Heat the entire mixture gently (including the whole seeds) to allow the flavours to meld and the fats to loosen.
Once hot, liquidize the mixture with an immersion blender (shattering the seeds to release maximum spice). Pass immediately through a fine chinois (sieve), pressing firmly on the solids
Season with salt. Just before serving, tilt the pan and use the immersion blender at the surface to create a light, powerful foam.
Parsley Puree
Bring water to a rolling boil with salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Submerge parsley for exactly 10 seconds. Plunge immediately into ice water. Squeeze in a cloth until dry. Blend the dry parsley on high speed with a tiny splash of ice cold water
The foraged seed dressing
Heat oil, hogweed, and dill seeds to 60°C for 15 mins. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining seeds, vinegar, and salt. Leave at room temperature. Do not strain the seeds provide the essential crunch and visual contrast.
Finish the pike
Spread the chilled dill fish farce over the brined pike fillet. Roll tightly in food-grade film to form a compact, uniform cylinder.Steam at 55°C until the core reaches 42°C around 30mins. Plunge immediately into an ice bath.
Once cold, rest in the fridge overnight to stabilize the farce and ensure a clean cut.
Unwrap and slice into portions while cold. Place a cold cube of butter around 10g on top of each portion. Reheat in the steamer at 48°C for 4 minutes. The butter will melt into a glossy, rich glaze just as the fish reaches the perfect serving temperature
How to finish
Place a spoonful of the parsley purée onto the plate. Position the pike with farce directly on top. Brush the top of the fish with the foraged seed dressing, ensuring the seeds are well distributed. Finish by placing a spoonful of the hogweed seed foam
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