Cured Ocean Trout with Flavors of Cucumber and Apple

Cured Ocean Trout with Flavors of Cucumber and Apple

Trout

Ingredients

  • 800 g ocean trout (pin boned, bones reserved, skin removed and reserved, trimmings reserved)
  • 240 g brown sugar
  • 240 g salt flakes, plus more for seasoning
  • 30 g dill (chopped)
  • 280 ml grapeseed oil, plus extra for deep frying
  • Applewood chips

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 100°C.
  2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, and dill to prepare the curing mix.
  3. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the bench and spread half of the curing mix on it. Place the trout fillet on top and cover with the remaining curing mix. Press firmly and seal well in the wrap.
  4. Refrigerate to cure for 2 ½ hours. Remove, dust off the cure, and cut the trout into large cubes. Set aside.
  5. For crispy skin, scrape excess fat or flesh from the skin and reserve. Place the skin on a paper-lined baking tray, cover with another sheet of baking paper, and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to dehydrate.
  6. Heat grapeseed oil to 180°C and deep fry the skin for 1–2 minutes until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
Smoked Mayonnaise

Ingredients

  • Ocean trout bones and trimmings
  • 250 ml grapeseed oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp flake salt

Method

  1. Place the trout bones and trimmings in a bowl. Cover with cling film and smoke with applewood chips for 20 minutes.
  2. Add grapeseed oil to the bones, re-cover, and smoke for an additional 30 minutes. Strain the oil into a jug.
  3. In a food processor, combine egg, mustard, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt flakes. Process while slowly adding the smoked oil in a thin stream until thickened and emulsified. Season to taste and refrigerate.
Dill Crisp

Ingredients

  • 75 g tapioca pearls
  • 30 ml grapeseed oil, plus more for deep frying
  • 25 g dill

Method

  1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add tapioca pearls. Cook for 15–20 minutes until almost translucent. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a small food processor, blend grapeseed oil and dill. Strain and stir the dill oil through the cooked tapioca.
  3. Spread the tapioca onto a paper-lined tray and bake for 1 ½ hours until dehydrated. Break into shards.
  4. Heat oil in a small saucepan to 220°C and fry the shards until puffy. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
Pickles

Ingredients

  • 250 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 125 ml apple liqueur
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp celery seeds
  • 2 tsp dill seeds
  • 25 g dill (chopped)
  • 18 (50 g) Mexican cucumbers
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber (sliced lengthwise on a mandolin)
  • 1 small green apple (sliced on a mandolin)

Method

  1. In a saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, apple liqueur, sugar, garlic, celery seeds, dill seeds, and chopped dill. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  2. Place Mexican cucumbers, sliced Lebanese cucumbers, and sliced green apple in separate bowls. Pour the pickling liquid over each and let cool to room temperature. Strain and set aside.
Garnish

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • Baby cucumber (thinly sliced on mandolin)
  • Green apple (finely diced)
  • Samphire
  • Dill sprigs
  • Fennel fronds
  • Trout roe
  • Salt, to taste

Method

  1. In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Add baby cucumber slices and diced apple, tossing to coat.
Serving
  1. Arrange trout cubes on serving plates.
  2. Add pickled vegetables, dressed cucumbers, and apples.
  3. Dot the plate with smoked mayonnaise and garnish with crispy skin, dill crisps, samphire, dill sprigs, fennel fronds, and trout roe.
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