A feast of smoked fish
When a friendly fisherman delivers presents of smoked trout, feast on it with a salad and pasta.
I’ve been waiting my whole life for the kind of mysterious benefactor who seems to be present in so many classic novels.
I’ve finally found one in the form of an octogenarian fisherman from Turangi who generously fills my fridge with beautiful smoked trout that he’s caught himself.
My benefactor (who is too shy to be named in case everyone in Turangi turns up on his doorstep), ties his own flies and has a well-honed technique for fishing and smoking his catch.
‘‘I sit out in a little boat in the delta where the Tongariro River runs into the lake,’’ he says.
‘‘When you’re fishing there’s no way you can be thinking about work or worrying about anything else. You’re totally consumed by what you’re doing.’’
My benefactor likes to eat his smoked fish on crackers topped with cream cheese and a squeeze of lemon (‘‘and I’d add in avocado, if they weren’t so expensive’’).
I like it that way too, but if you want to stretch it further, here are some more meal-sized alternatives.
Salad of smoked trout, beans and baguette
Serves 3-4 Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: nil
This is inspired by the classic salade nicoise, though I’ve omitted tomatoes for reasons of seasonality, and obviously swapped out anchovies for trout. It’s a beautiful weekend lunch dish.
❚ 2 1⁄2 cups diced stale baguette or sourdough (about 130g)
❚ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
❚ 3 eggs, at room temperature
❚ 3 handfuls green beans, topped and tailed
❚ 1⁄2 cup Kalamata olives, stoned
❚ 200g smoked trout, skin removed
For the dressing:
❚ 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
❚ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Toss the cubed bread with the tablespoon of olive oil and arrange on an oven tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, shaking the tray occasionally, until the bread is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
While the bread is toasting, cook the eggs. Bring a small pot of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt, then slip in the eggs. Let it come back to a simmer and cook the eggs for eight minutes exactly. Drain immediately, then shake the pot to break the shells while holding it under cold running water.
While the eggs are cooling, cook the beans. Drop them into a pot containing about an inch of boiling water. Cover and cook for about two minutes, or until the beans are bright green, then drain and refresh them under cold running water. Drain again and pat dry with a clean tea towel.
Peel the eggs and cut them in half. Flake the trout into bitesized pieces.
Make the dressing by putting the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl and whisking to combine. Season well with salt and pepper, and set aside.
To assemble the salad, put the toasted bread, beans, halved eggs, smoked trout and olives in a bowl. Pour over half the dressing and toss gently to combine (the easiest way to do this is with clean hands). Pile on to a serving platter and drizzle the remaining dressing over the top. Serve at room temperature.
Tagliatelle with smoked trout and mascarpone
Serves 2 Preparation time:
5 minutes Cooking time:
5-10 minutes
This is one of those dishes you can put together while the water boils for the pasta. The hardest bit is not eating all the trout while you wait.
❚ 1⁄2 cup mascarpone
❚ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
❚ Finely grated zest and juice of a lemon
❚ 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
❚ 150g smoked trout
❚ 150g tagliatelle
❚ 4 handfuls rocket
Put a large pot of water on to boil for the tagliatelle. While you’re waiting, put the mascarpone, mustard, lemon zest and juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, then whisk to combine and set aside. Flake the trout and stir half of it into the mascarpone mix.
When the water is boiling, add a large spoonful of salt, followed by the pasta. Cook for five minutes (or according to packet directions), then drain, reserving a tablespoon or so of the water.
Return to the pot, then toss through most of the rocket and all of the mascarpone. Add the reserved water if desired. Divide the pasta between two plates and scatter the rest of the rocket and the trout on top. Serve – and eat – immediately.
❚ More of Lucy’s recipes at thekitchenmaid.com. To see what she’s cooking daily, find her on Instagram or Facebook.