Name: Buttermilk waffles with cured ocean trout and fennel salad
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: To serve: salmon roe (optional); Cured ocean trout; 120 gm caster sugar; 80 gm sea salt flakes; 40 ml gin; ½ cup coarsely chopped dill; Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon; 800 gm piece of ocean trout, skin on, pin-boned; Buttermilk waffles; 270 gm plain flour; 2 tbsp each finely chopped dill and chives; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 440 ml buttermilk, well shaken; 2 eggs; 100 gm butter, melted and cooled; Fennel salad; 250 gm celeriac, cut into julienne, placed in acidulated water; 1 baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin, placed in acidulated water, fronds reserved; ¼ cup coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley; 1 golden shallot, thinly sliced; 1½ tbsp buttermilk; 1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp each white wine vinegar and lemon juice, or to taste

We love the clean flavour of home-cured ocean trout, but shop-bought smoked salmon would work very nicely. Begin this recipe a day ahead to cure the trout.

Ingredients

To serve: salmon roe (optional)

Cured ocean trout

120 gm caster sugar

80 gm sea salt flakes

40 ml gin

½ cup coarsely chopped dill

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

800 gm piece of ocean trout, skin on, pin-boned

Buttermilk waffles

270 gm plain flour

2 tbsp each finely chopped dill and chives

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

440 ml buttermilk, well shaken

2 eggs

100 gm butter, melted and cooled

Fennel salad

250 gm celeriac, cut into julienne, placed in acidulated water

1 baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin, placed in acidulated water, fronds reserved

¼ cup coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley

1 golden shallot, thinly sliced

1½ tbsp buttermilk

1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp each white wine vinegar and lemon juice, or to taste

Method

Main

1.For cured ocean trout, combine sugar, salt, gin, dill, rind and juice in a bowl and mix well to combine. Spread half the salt mixture in a container large enough to hold trout snugly. Place trout on top, then spread with remaining mixture, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to cure (overnight). Remove from salt mixture, brush off excess, pat dry and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until required. Cured trout will keep refrigerated for 5 days. Slice thinly off the skin just before serving.

2.For buttermilk waffles, combine flour, herbs, rind, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and 1 tsp sea salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk buttermilk, eggs and melted butter in a separate bowl to combine, add to well in dry ingredients, mix to combine, then set aside to rest (30 minutes). Preheat a waffle iron and cook batter in batches, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until golden and crisp (4-5 minutes) and keep warm.

3.For fennel salad, drain celeriac and fennel and combine with parsley and shallot in a bowl. Whisk remaining ingredients in a separate bowl to combine, season to taste, drizzle over fennel mixture and toss to coat.

4.To serve, pile slices of ocean trout on warm buttermilk waffles, top with fennel salad and roe and serve.