Monday, April 23

Hot Smoked Cornish Trout, Pink Grapefruit, Radish & Coriander

Under normal circumstances I am a chef who prefers the gutsy and robust to the froth and fancy of haute cuisine. However sometimes I do like to get in touch with my feminine side and produce something pretty and delicate to showcase amazing produce. I came across the Atlantis Smokery in Cornwall purely by chance (www.atlantisfoods.co.uk) and they hot smoke these lovely local trout. The sweet pink grapefruit and coriander leaf take this salad in a citrus direction to cut through the richness of the smoked fish - a great little starter. For two:


Ingredients:
Hot smoked trout - 3 fillets, skinned
Radishes - 4
Red onion - 1/2 a small one, peeled
Pink grapefruit - 1, the sweetest you can find
Coriander -  1 small bunch, leaves picked
Honey - 1 tbsp
Best extra virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
Salt and ground white pepper


Method:
Peel and segment the grapefruit like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQr9QQLtBU0.  My wife proof-read this blog and became confused as the YouTube video shows an orange being segmented - I promise this method works for all citrus fruits. Divide each segment into three and place in a sieve above a small bowl. Squeeze any juicy pithy bits of grapefruit over the sieve to get the last of the juice out then discard the rest. Pour the juice into a small pan, add the honey and a light seasoning of salt and pepper. Boil and reduce by 2/3 to make a syrup the consistency of warm honey. 


Slice the radish and onion as thin as you can - I like to use a Japanese mandolin. In a bowl toss the onion, coriander, half the radish and the grapefruit together. Cut two nice pieces of trout from the centre of the fillets and set aside. Flake the rest of the trout into the bowl with the vegetables. Dress the contents of the bowl with half the olive oil, a light seasoning and half the grapefruit syrup.  Mix well but try not to mash everything together.


Arrange a nice ring of radish slivers on a serving plate, top with the dressed salad then the trout portions you reserved from earlier. Drizzle the plate with the remaining grapefruit syrup and more olive oil.

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