CHALK STREAM TROUT RILLETTES

This delicious sharing dish is new for Glyndebourne’s summer series picnic menu. Executive chef Steve Groves recommends serving it with crusty bread and pickles and pairing the dish with a white wine such as Chenin Blanc. He recommends transporting the rillettes in a sealed pot or jar in a cool bag and not leaving it anywhere warm for longer than two hours.

Serves 6-8 as a sharing dish

INGREDIENTS

500g chalk stream trout fillet 40g salt

40g sugar

1 lemon

A few sprigs of fennel tops or dill

50g leek or 1 shallot

15ml olive oil

40g crème fraiche

20g mayonnaise

1tbsp chopped chives

METHOD

• Chop the fennel tops, finely

grate the lemon zest, and mix with the salt and sugar, then sprinkle this all over the trout.

• Allow to cure lightly in the fridge for two hours. Rinse in cold water and dry thoroughly.

• Cut the leeks or shallot into thin strips and lay along with some fennel tops or dill on the middle of a double layer of tin foil that is large enough to make a parcel around the trout. The leek and fennel will keep the fish elevated away from the direct heat of the baking tray as well as lightly flavouring the fish.

• Add the olive oil, juice of the lemon and around 100ml water and seal the parcel. Place on a baking tray and cook at 100°C for 30 minutes, then allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

• Peel the skin and blood line from the fish then flake it into a bowl, try not to mush the fish up too much.

• Mix with the crème fraiche, mayonnaise, and chives, then season with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice.

• Serve with some pickles and crisp toast or crackers.