Herbed Hake Polpettes

1. You can buy pickled cucumbers or gherkins from most supermarkets. Or to make your own (takes one week to marinate), use a pin to prick each cucumber a few times. Heat the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaves and mustard seeds, not letting the mixture come to the boil. Pack the cucumbers tightly into a large, sterilised jar and pour over the prepared brine, ensuring the cucumbers are completely covered.
   
   Tightly close the lid and leave the cucumbers to pickle for a week. Refrigerate after opening.
   
2. Place the potato, shallot and herbs into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
   
3. Slice the hake fillets into sections and add to food processor and blitz carefully until combined. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
   
4. Use a spoon to shape the mixture into small balls (polpettes), arranging them on a lined baking sheet.
   
5. Refrigerate the polpettes for an hour or overnight to firm up
   
6. Next pour about 1cm / 0.5" of olive oil into a heavy-bottomed frying pan and carefully lower each polpette into the oil. Fry the polpettes over medium heat until brown on all sides, usually 5-8 minutes.
   
   (Alternatively, drizzle a little olive oil over the polpette and bake on a lined sheet for 25-30 mins at 200°C / 392 ºF.)
7. DILL YOGURT
   Combine the chopped dill, lemon zest and grated garlic with the Greek yoghurt.
   
8. Finely chop two pickles and add them to the yoghurt, along with a 10ml of the pickling brine.
   Season with salt to taste and keep chilled until needed.
   

ET VOILA!
To serve, spoon a dollop of dill yoghurt into a dish and top with extra chopped pickles, a few of the polpettes and a drizzle of olive oil over the top.

Chef Naledi's Tip: These fish balls are ideal for so many occasions. From canapés or served as finger food to kids’ lunchboxes.