The 'Shtetl' Tribute

Before you start

• Inoculate and culture the goat milk.

  In a heavy-bottomed pot, gently heat the goat milk and heavy cream to exactly 85°F. Remove from heat, sprinkle the mesophilic culture over the surface, let it hydrate for 5 minutes, then stir gently. Stir in the diluted rennet, cover, wrap the pot in a heavy towel to maintain a 75°F ambient temperature, and let sit undisturbed for 12 to 16 hours.

• Drain and whip the goat cream cheese.

  Ladle the solidified curds into a large colander lined with a double layer of fine cheesecloth. Tie the corners and hang the bag over a bowl in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Transfer the thickened curds to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and whip on medium speed for 2 minutes until incredibly smooth and airy.

• Dry-cure the sablefish.

  Cut the sablefish fillet into 3-inch wide blocks. Whisk together 1 cup of kosher salt, the granulated sugar, and the garlic powder. Massage this cure heavily into the flesh of the fish and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

• Rinse and form the pellicle.

  Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry. Place the fish on a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet and return to the refrigerator uncovered for 12 hours to create a tacky pellicle.

• Smoke and glaze the sablefish.

  Smoke the fish over Alder or Cherry wood at a strict 160°F to 180°F. After the first hour, brush lightly with raw honey, repeating every 45 minutes. Remove when the internal temperature registers exactly 140°F. Pull any pin bones while warm, and generously dust with sweet paprika.

Ingredients

• whole goat milk1 gal
• heavy cow cream1 pt
• mesophilic starter culture1/8 tsp
• liquid animal rennet2 drops
• kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
• fresh sablefish fillet2 lb
• kosher salt1 cup
• granulated sugar1/4 cup
• garlic powder2 tbsp
• raw honey2 tbsp
• sweet Hungarian paprika2 tbsp
• everything or onion bagels4 large
• heirloom tomato1 large
• sweet onion1 med
• nonpareil capers4 tsp

Method

1. 01

   Halve the bagel and apply the schmear with a proper wrist twist.

   Slice the fresh bagel perfectly in half horizontally. Lay down a generous 3/4-inch swooping schmear of goat cream cheese on the bottom half, and a micro-thin primer layer on the top half to act as a moisture barrier.

2. 02

   Execute the tomato triage to protect the crumb.

   Place the tomato slices on a paper towel, sprinkle lightly with a pinch of kosher salt, let sit for five minutes, and dab the tops dry. Wet tomatoes are the enemy of a dense, chewy bagel crumb. Place the salted, drained tomatoes directly onto the thick layer of cream cheese.

3. 03

   Build the onion and caper matrix.

   Lay the paper-thin onion slices over the tomatoes. Scatter the drained capers evenly across the onions, pressing them gently so they sink slightly into the vegetables.

4. 04

   Slice the sablefish on a sharp bias.

   Using a surgically sharp Granton-edge slicing knife, cut the cold, smoked sablefish at a 45-degree angle into 1/4-inch thick flakes.

5. 05

   Drape the fish and crown the sandwich.

   Drape the bias-cut sablefish slices over the onion-caper matrix in a shingled pattern so the fish cascades slightly over the edges. Place the primed top half of the bagel on the fish, press down firmly with the flat of your palm to marry the ingredients, and cut cleanly in half straight down the middle.

Notes

• To scoop or not to scoop?

  While purists abhor scooping a bagel, pulling out a slight trench of dough from the top half creates a moat for slippery ingredients like capers and tomatoes, preventing the sandwich from blowing out the back when you bite into it. If your bagels are particularly massive, scoop lightly.

• On sourcing sablefish.

  If you cannot source fresh sablefish (black cod) to smoke at home, high-quality thick-cut smoked salmon can be used in a pinch, though it fundamentally changes the luxurious, buttery profile of the sandwich.