Name: Beetroot and gin cured trout with horseradish cream
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup cooking salt; 1 cup white sugar; 1 beetroot, peeled, coarsely grated; 1/3 cup roughly chopped dill; 1 Tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed; 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds; 2 tsp cracked black pepper; 1/3 cup gin; 1.25kg ocean trout fillet, skin on, pin-boned; Toasted bread, lemon wedges and fried capers, to serve; HORSERADISH CREAM; 300g crème fraîche; 2 Tbsp horseradish cream; 2 Tbsp chopped dill; Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season; FENNEL, NASHI, WATERCRESS SALAD; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar; 1 tsp wholegrain mustard; 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, thinly sliced; 1 nashi, cut into thin matchsticks; 3 cups watercress sprigs

This is ‘just the cure’ you’ve been looking for in a Christmas dish. With capers, lemon wedges and a fennel salad, this cured trout is delish!

Note: in addition to the 40mins preparation time listed above, you will also need to ‘cure’ your trout for 48 hours. It is best to start this recipe 2 days in advance.

Ingredients

1 cup cooking salt

1 cup white sugar

1 beetroot, peeled, coarsely grated

1/3 cup roughly chopped dill

1 Tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed

2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 tsp cracked black pepper

1/3 cup gin

1.25kg ocean trout fillet, skin on, pin-boned

Toasted bread, lemon wedges and fried capers, to serve

HORSERADISH CREAM

300g crème fraîche

2 Tbsp horseradish cream

2 Tbsp chopped dill

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

FENNEL, NASHI, WATERCRESS SALAD

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp sherry vinegar

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, thinly sliced

1 nashi, cut into thin matchsticks

3 cups watercress sprigs

Method

Line a dish to fit trout in with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides of dish.

Combine salt, sugar, beetroot, dill, coriander and mustard seeds, pepper and gin in a bowl. Spoon half of the mixture over base of dish. Top with trout, skin-side down. Spoon remaining salt mixture over trout.

Fold up sides of plastic to enclose trout. Top with a plate to weigh down trout in salt mixture. Refrigerate for 48 hours.

For Horseradish cream, combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Season.

For Fennel salad, whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Season. Add fennel, nashi and watercress. Toss.

Carefully remove trout from curing mixture. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.

Thinly slice trout, discarding skin. Serve with horseradish, toasted bread, lemon wedges, fried capers and salad.

How long does cured trout last in the fridge?

Cured fish can be eaten over a week but it can last up to 2-3 weeks in the fridge. It should be tightly covered with plastic wrap to ensure it stays fresh.

Is cured fish safe to eat?

Cured fish is safe to eat, provided you follow the process properly. Just as raw fish presents a risk of listeria, as does cured fish because it is not cooked all the way through.

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Kim Coverdale