Roll Mops with Pickled Pike

Pickled Pike (makes 1 quart)

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. northern pike fillets
• 4 cups warm water for salt cure
• 1 cup salt
• 2 cups white distilled vinegar
• 1 cup water for vinegar brine
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp pickling spice
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced with seeds removed (add according to heat preference)
• ¼ lemon, thinly sliced

Instructions: 

1. Fillet and skin northern pike but leave y-bones. Cube into 1-inch chunks, and freeze for at least 48 hours (this will ensure all potential parasites are killed).
2. Dissolve 1 cup salt into 4 cups warm water and allow to cool. Add cubed pike to the saltwater, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. Strain and rinse cubed pike with water.
4. Make brine by bringing 2 cups vinegar and 1 cup water to a boil, add sugar and mix until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. In a 1-quart mason jar, layer fish cubes with pickling spices, garlic, onion, jalapeño and lemon.
6. Pour cooled brine into the jar over the fish mixture.
7. Leave in the refrigerator to brine for one week before eating. Jarred pickled pike will keep for about a month in the refrigerator.

Roll Mops (makes 12)

Ingredients"

• 12 pickled northern pike cubes
• Crème fraiche (French sour cream)
• Sea salt (we like to use Hawaiian black sea salt for the color contrast)
• Olive oil
• Lemon zest

Instructions:

1. Arrange fish cubes on a plate and top with a dollop of crème fraiche. Lightly sprinkle each piece with sea salt and lemon zest, then drizzle plate with olive oil. Serve with crackers.