Smoked trout and Spring vegetable salad with herby dressing
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium cooked* golden beetroot
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 bu. asparagus
2 eggs
150g boneless, skinless smoked rainbow trout
A handful of watercress leaves
Salt and black pepper
Egg and herb dressing:
1 small shallot, diced fine
1 tbls. white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chopped capers
3 tbls. Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Method:
*To roast the beetroot, preheat your oven to 175C. Add the washed beetroot to a small roasting tray and add about 1/4 cup of water, a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cover the tray tightly with foil and roast for approximately 1 hour until a small pairing knife inserted into the thickest past of the beetroot goes through with minimal resistance. Allow to cool, then peel (the skins should slip right off) and cut into wedges and set aside. Alternatively, you can use pre-roasted beetroot. Toss the wedges in 2 tsp. of white wine vinegar and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Allow them to sit and marinate while you prepare the rest.
Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add your eggs in, straight from the fridge, and boil them for exactly 6 minutes (longer if you don’t like runny eggs). Remove them and stop their cooking in cold water. Allow them to sit in the water until completely cool, then peel and set aside.
Bring a wider pan of salted water to the boil. Snap your asparagus at the ends to remove the woody bits and peel the bottom 1/3rd of the asparagus with a vegetable peeler. Blanch them in the boiling water for 2 minutes and then allow to cool on a tray.
To assemble the salsa, first soak the shallot in the vinegar for about 5 minutes, then add in the rest of the ingredients. Chop up one of the eggs and mix it through the salsa.
Assemble all the ingredients on a platter except for the herb dressing. Cut the other egg in half and place the halves on top. Dress everything with the herb dressing and sprinkle it with flaky sea salt and black pepper.
