Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 400 g cod fillet, thick center-cut piece, patted completely dry
- 300 g sauerkraut, undrained weight from jar
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
- 2 g caraway seeds
- 15 g whole grain mustard
- 15 g unsalted butter
Pastry
- 150 g phyllo dough, thawed
- 80 g unsalted butter, melted
- 30 g panko breadcrumbs
Riesling Sauce
- 1 shallot, minced
- 150 ml dry riesling wine
- 100 ml fish stock
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 40 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 5 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the sauerkraut in a clean kitchen towel and twist tightly over the sink to squeeze out as much liquid as humanly possible. This is critical to prevent a soggy strudel.
Melt the first 15g of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and grated apple, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the drained sauerkraut, caraway seeds, and whole grain mustard. Cook for another 3 minutes to dry out the mixture, then remove from heat and let cool.
Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean work surface. Keep the remaining sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Brush the sheet lightly with melted butter and sprinkle a sparse, even layer of panko breadcrumbs over it. Repeat this process until you have a stack of 6 to 8 sheets.
Spread the cooled sauerkraut mixture horizontally over the lower third of the phyllo stack, leaving a 3cm border at the edges. Season the cod fillet aggressively with salt and pepper, then lay the fish directly on top of the sauerkraut bed.
Carefully roll the phyllo dough up and over the cod, tucking in the left and right sides like a burrito to seal the ends. Place the formed strudel seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet and brush the entire exterior generously with the remaining melted butter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden brown and crisp, and the thickest part of the fish registers an internal temperature of 63C/145F.
While the strudel bakes, combine the minced shallot, Riesling wine, and fish stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer vigorously until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds, which should take about 10 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium-low and whisk in the heavy cream, simmering for 2 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove the pan entirely from the heat and vigorously whisk in the cold, cubed butter a few pieces at a time until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Stir in the chopped dill, and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Let the baked strudel rest for 5 minutes. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the strudel into thick slices using a gentle sawing motion. Serve immediately with the warm Riesling sauce poured around the base of the slices.
Chef's Notes
- The panko breadcrumbs hidden between the phyllo layers are a critical structural element. They absorb steam escaping from the filling, ensuring the pastry remains shatteringly crisp rather than turning gummy.
- When selecting your wine, use the same Riesling for the sauce that you plan to serve with the meal. A German Kabinett or Trocken style provides the ideal bracing acidity to cut through the rich cream and butter.
- For perfectly flaked cod, ensure the fillet is uniform in thickness. If one end is much thinner, tuck it under itself to match the thickness of the rest of the piece before rolling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store sauce separately from the strudel if possible to maintain pastry crispness.
Reheating: Reheat the strudel in an oven at 180C/350F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and crisp. Gently warm the sauce on the stovetop over very low heat, avoiding boiling to prevent breaking.
