Josh Niland
This savoury mouthful of smoke, salt, sweet, sour and creaminess is such a great way to start
a meal, or even for a snack when only a doughnut will do.
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 30 DOUGHNUTS
filling
To make the filling, add the potatoes, salt and skin and bones from the smoked
eel, if available, to a large saucepan filled with water and bring to the boil. Cook
until the potato is completely soft, then drain, discarding the skin and bones.
Push the potato through a sieve and cool until warm.
Add the mashed eel flesh and sour cream to the potato with a little salt, pepper
and lemon juice to taste and combine well.
Transfer the mixture to a piping
(icing) bag fitted with a fine tip nozzle and chill.
beetroot puree
preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Place the beetroot in the centre of a square of aluminium foil, season lightly
with salt, olive oil and the thyme sprigs and bake for 40 minutes, or until
completely soft.
While hot, peel the skin off and cut into quarters, then blitz in
a food processor or blender to a fine puree. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
Melt the sugar in a small pan for 8 minutes, or until it starts to become very dark.
Add the vinegar and cook to melt the sugar again. Add the beetroot puree and
cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes to thicken. Cool completely, then
transfer to a piping bag fitted with a fine tip nozzle and set aside.
doughnuts
mix 15 g (½ oz) of the fresh yeast, the water and
150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) of the baker’s flour together in a bowl until they are
just combined. Leave for 2 hours at room temperature.
In a stand mixer bowl, combine the milk with the remaining yeast and leave for
1 minute.
Add the remaining ingredients except the oil together with the first
yeast mix and mix with the dough hook attachment for 5–7 minutes until the
dough is shiny and well combined.
Cover and leave to rise in the refrigerator
overnight until it has doubled in size.
The next day, lightly flour a baking tray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured
work surface and roll out to 1.5 cm (1/2 in) thickness. Using a 4 cm (1½ in) ring
cutter, cut out circles and transfer them to the floured tray. Chill for 1 hour.
Heat the oil for deep-frying in a large, heavy-based saucepan until the
temperature reaches 180°C (350°F). Using a slotted spoon, deep-fry a few
doughnuts at a time on each side for 1–1½ minutes until golden brown and
the centre is light and fluffy.
Drain on paper towel.
Make a small hole in the top of each doughnut and fill with the filling to just
below the top, then top it off by piping in a little beetroot puree. Serve warm.
ALTERNATIVE FISH
Smoked anchovy
Smoked herring
Smoked sardine
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