BLOODY-MARY SMOKED TROUT WITH AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER

Festive food needs to have some sort of ‘WOW’ factor.  Whether you use trout or salmon it will easily become the dish everyone talks about.  The delicate fish is lightly cured in a fragrant, salty bloody-mary rub then lightly smoked so that the flesh is juicy and layered with flavour.  I teamed it up with a simple refreshing cucumber, avocado and soy dressing.

Serves 6 -10

Ingredients

600g fillet of fresh trout of salmon, bones removed

Bloody mary cure

60g sea salt 

15g celery seeds

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly toasted and crushed

30g tomato puree 

15g worcestershire sauce

6 dashes tabasco sauce

1 lemon, zest

1 Tbsp vodka

Smoked salmon

1 cup Manuka or pohutukawa bark

1 cup barley or rice

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 sprigs spray free pine leaves

Dressing

½ red chilli, seeds removed and finely diced

3 Tbsp light soy sauce

1-2 Tbsp sugar

2 limes, zest and juice

2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil

½ cucumber, seeds removed and finely diced

100g radish, finely sliced

1 shallot, finely sliced

2 firm, ripe avocados, diced

1 Tbsp fresh parsley and coriander , roughly chopped

Method

Begin by mixing the ingredients together for the bloody mary cure.  

Spread a little bloody mary cure over the base of a non-reactive dish.  Place the trout or salmon fillet skin side down. Spread over remaining cure so the flesh is covered.  Depending on size of fillet and whether you are using trout or salmon will depend on how long you keep the cure on for.  Trout may only need 1-2 hours whereas salmon can be cured overnight. 

Rinse off the cure under cold running water.  Pat dry.

Mix the bark, rice, sugar together and place into your smoker, lay over the pine.  Place the cured fillets on the rack, cover and smoke the fish until still moist and just cooked (5-8 minutes approx).  Remove immediately and set aside.

To make the dressing.

Place the prepared chilli, soy sauce, sugar and lime zest and juice. Stir to combine.

Add the diced cucumber, sliced radish and shallot, coat in the dressing.

Stir through the avocado and herbs.

To serve, place the smoked fish onto a board or platter and spoon over the cucumber and avocado dressing.  Decorate with edible flowers, herbs.

Best eaten at room temperature.