SMOKED TROUT AND BEETROOT SALAD WITH HORSERADISH
3 bunches medium baby beets, washed well
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus another 3 tbsp for finishing
2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar, plus extra sea salt
1 hot-smoked trout, skin removed, carefully flaked off the bone
5 tbsp crème fraîche
¼ cup chives, finely chopped
fresh horseradish, for grating
freshly ground pepper
Serves 4
Trim the beet stems to about 2cm, and rinse the beets again. Place the beets in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon salt and toss well.
Put the beets in a large baking dish. Add 1 cup of water - avoid pouring it over the beets so the seasoning isn't washed off. Cover with foil and bake for about an hour or until tender.
Remove the beets from the pan and cut them in half. Drizzle the beets with a little extra virgin olive oil, season and add a few drops of balsamic vinegar.
Place the beets on 4 plates, then place trout flakes on the beets and dollops of crème fraîche on the trout. To serve, sprinkle with chives, grate horseradish over and give a good grind of pepper.
CHOCOLATE BAVAROIS
90ml milk
90ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise
3 large egg yolks
50g caster sugar
2 sheets gold-leaf gelatine
250g dark chocolate, shaved
200ml double cream
dark chocolate, grated
Serves 4
Combine the milk and cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-low heat. Scrape in the vanilla seeds, add the pod and slowly heat almost to boiling point - but don't boil or scorch the milk. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on high speed until pale and creamy and sugar has dissolved.
Remove the vanilla pod from the hot milk mixture. Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the egg and sugar, a little at a time. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over a very low heat to create a custard. Stir until custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 5 minutes, but don't scramble the eggs - if using a thermometer, cook to 82°C).
Place gelatine in a bowl of cold water and soak until soft. Remove the gelatine, squeeze it gently and stir into the warm custard. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and leave to cool.
Melt the shaved chocolate in a double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir the chocolate into the custard, cover, and chill in the fridge. When the custard starts to set around the edges, whip the cream until thick. Fold into the bavarois.
Lightly oil four 125ml dariole moulds and spoon in the mixture, tapping the moulds to avoid air pockets. Chill in the fridge until firmly set - about 4 hours.
To serve, gently tip the bavaroises onto a plate and sprinkle with grated chocolate.
SOMETHING TO DRINK
Pinot noir
The earthy characters of a 2012 Ata Rangi Crimson pinot noir, from Martinborough in New Zealand ($31), really complement the beetroot and horseradish in this salad, while notes of cranberry and cherry run side by side with the trout.
HOT TIPS
* You can fold the horseradish through the crème fraîche to make a sauce or, if fresh is hard to get, use horseradish relish.
* The beets can be boiled, but I find roasting beets gives a greater intensity of flavour.
* I like to serve the bavarois with whipped cream and seasonal berries on the side.
* The quality of the chocolate will help determine the quality of the taste.
Photography by William Meppem. Food styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Nick Banbury
