Poached sea trout with crushed purple potatoes, mango salsa, asparagus and basil vinaigrette Recipe

Poached sea trout with crushed purple potatoes, mango salsa, asparagus and basil vinaigrette Recipe

  • 100–150g/3½–5oz salt
  • 4 medium-large purple potatoes, scrubbed
  • 75g/2½oz unsalted butter
  • 1 large ripe mango, peeled, stone removed, cut into small cubes
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado, stone removed, peeled, finely chopped
  • ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • ⅓ cucumber, cut into small cubes
  • 3 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • 50ml/2fl oz olive oil or rapeseed oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 15g/½oz basil leaves, torn into small pieces
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 30g/1oz finely chopped shallot
  • 40g/1½oz very ripe tomatoes
  • 3 bunches asparagus
  • 75g/2½oz unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 fillets sea trout, skinned
  • 4–6 tbsp rapeseed oil
  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
  2. For the potatoes, cover the base of a baking tray with salt and place the potatoes on top. Bake for about an hour until tender (the exact time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes).
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the salsa. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Push cling film firmly down onto the salsa and also cover the bowl tightly with cling film (this will prevent the avocado browning). Set aside.
  4. To make the basil vinaigrette, put all the ingredients in a blender together with plenty of salt and pepper. Pulse for about 30 seconds, or until combined. Taste to check the seasoning and set aside.
  5. For the asparagus, cut the spears to about the length of your middle finger. Using a vegetable peeler lightly peel the bottom inch to produce a white stalk and a green top. About 10 minutes before serving, bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil, drop in the asparagus and cook for 4–5 minutes. Drain immediately. Brush the melted butter over the asparagus and season with sea salt.
  6. For the trout, preheat a water bath to 50C. Place the fillets in a vac pac bag, with a slug of rapeseed oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Seal the vac pac bag and place into the water bath for 10 minutes.
  7. Scoop the cooked potato out of its skin and pass through a sieve into a saucepan. Using a fork, mash in plenty of butter, season with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.
  8. To serve, remove the trout fillets from the water bath and cut open the vac pac bag. Place on a baking tray and use a chef’s blow torch to colour lightly.
  9. Spoon some salsa into the centre of the serving plates and place a fillet of trout on top, season with sea salt and pepper. Shape some potato into quenelles and place to the side. Top the trout with asparagus, drizzle with basil vinaigrette and serve immediately.