Ūpoko 1 - Ka Pai Kahawai

White Sauce with Karengo Teasers

Ingredients;

• ½ smoked Kahawai fillet (see recipe below)
• Butter 2tbsn
• Plain Flour 2tbsn
• Milk 1C

Karengo;

• Karengo 2 large handfuls of dry Karengo
• 1 C Water
• 50g -100g butter

Smoked Rough Pastry;

• 250g Plain Flour
• 50g Smoked Butter
• 200g butter
• 1/2tspn Salt
• 150ml Cold Water

Smoked Kahawai;

• 1 whole Kahawai halved into two fillets
• Brown Sugar 1/2C
• Manuka wood chips 1 C
• Coffee Black ½ C
• 3 Tblsp Salt

Creamy Riwai Mash;

• Riwai 4 flour potato
• ¼ - ½  C Cream 
• 25-50g Butter
• Salt
• White Pepper

Method:

White Sauce

1. In a small pot add  butter and  flour stir until combined and the mix comes together in a ball.
2. Add milk (enough so sauce is a like a thickish gravy) salt and white pepper to taste.
3. Add cheese and turn down the heat until cheese has melted.

Karengo

1. Put a cup of karengo into a pot.
2. Cook and enough water to cover the karengo, then add 50grms butter.
3. Simmer for a few hours adding more butter and water alternatively until the karengo is cooked (should be a really soft melt in your mouth consistency). 
4. Once cooked drain any extra liquid off and chop into small pieces.

Smoked Rough Pastry;

1. Add sifted flour into food processor cut butter into small chunks and add to the flour.
2. Whizz in short bursts until butter and flour resembles chunky crumbs.
3. Put crumb mix into a bowl.
4. Add ¾ of the cold water and mix until the dough comes together, you can use a knife or hands (add more water if needed).  
5. Cover with glad wrap and put in fridge for 20mins.
6. Add a little flour to the bench and gently knead the dough.
7. Shape it into a small rectangle, then roll the dough with rolling pin in one direction until its tripled in size (make sure you don’t roll too much as you still want to see the butter streaks). 
8. Then fold the two short end edges into thirds.  
9. Turn the dough 90degrees and then knead out again to triple in size.
10. Fold in thirds again wrap in glad wrap and put in fridge for 30 mins.
11. Roll pastry into pie dish.
12. Prick bottom.
13. Add ceramic balls or line pastry with greaseproof paper and weight down with rice (blind bake at 190 degrees for at least 20 mins, remove balls and let cool.

Smoke Kahawai;

1. Soak Manuka wood chips in freshly brewed coffee.
2. Ensure you leave scales on the Kahawai (This will prevent fish sticking to tray during smoking process. 
3. Butterfly Kahawai and remove any membrane and or puku, clean flesh.
4. Pat dry with hand towel or paper towel. 
5. Sprinkle with generous amounts of salt and brown sugar. 
6. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60mins and or overnight. 
7. Remove fish from fridge and pour of access liquid, at this stage the marinated would of worked its way into the flesh.
8. Spread hand fill of manuka chips on the base of your smoker. Turn on your gas /Fire and place smoker box over the flame. 
9. Once the chips start to smoulder, place your fish scales down on your rack and cover for 15-20mins or until ready (smoking times will depend on size of fish.)
10. When fish is ready remove from smoker. 
11. You can either start removing fish from the bones and or wait until its cooler. 

Creamy Riwai Mash;

1. Peel potato and quarter into to equal size.
2. portions, this will ensure that the potato’s cook evenly.  
3. Put Potato’s into saucepan cover with water, add salt and bring to boil. 
4. Once the water boils, turn down temperature until potatoes are cooked evenly. (Potatoes are ready when you can press a fork or knife through and it inserts easily). 
5. When the Potatoes are ready remove water from saucepan. 
6. Remove lid and leave to allow for excess steam to evaporate. 
7. Then mash either with a Potato Masher and or folk, until nice and fluffy. Add Milk, cream & butter and whisk/beat until soft