Roasted Pike with Lamb Sauce, Lovage and Bacon (Irish)

Pike was once abundant in Irish loughs and rivers and is still fished regularly. One old account claims that a 350 lb (160 kg) specimen was once caught in County Down (highly unlikely); a 90 lb (40 kg) pike caught in Lough Derg in 1862, on the other hand, has been documented. Today, 8-12 lbs (3.5-5.5 kg) is the usual weight. For some reason, while the Irish like to catch them, the idea of eating pike has rarely appealed to them. That may have something to do with its forbidding appearance: Ian Hill, in his book The Fish of Ireland, describes the creature as resembling "a mottled-olive carnivorous torpedo," and notes that a bone in the fish's head takes the form of a cross and was once worn to ward off epilepsy and vex witches. The pioneering modern Irish chef Gerry Galvin created this unusual recipe. He suggests serving it with a mixed green salad enhanced with watercress, sorrel, and thinly sliced apple.

4 Tbsp. butter
4 (6-8 oz) pike fillets (4x175-250 g)
flour, for dusting
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
Canola or vegetable oil, for greasing the baking dish
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ lemon, freshly squeezed
1 cup (240 mL) lamb juices or 2½ cups (600 mL) lamb stock, reduced over medium heat to about 1 cup (240 mL)
1 Tbsp. fresh lovage or celery leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Dust the pike fillets lightly on both sides with flour, season with salt and pepper, then sear them lightly for about 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the pan and transfer to a lightly oiled glass or ceramic baking dish.

Stir the garlic into the lemon juice, freshly squeezed in a small bowl, then drizzle it over the fish. Roast the fish in the oven for about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the lamb juices or reduced stock in a small saucepan, then stir in lovage leaves and balsamic vinegar. Keep warm.

To serve, divide the fish between 4 plates, scatter the servings equally with chopped bacon, and serve with the sauce on the side.

Makes 4 servings.