Slow baked trout, mussel vinaigrette, mushroom tart and herb salad.
Ingredients
4 x 200g Trout steaks (skin on)
Herbs (as below).
500g mussels (scrubbed and de-bearded)
100ml Olive oil
50ml Champagne (or white wine)
30ml lemon juice
Seasoning
500g Chestnut mushrooms
A clove of Garlic
100g Puff pastry (all butter)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
Oil
Butter
Seasoning
Frisée lettuce
Chives
Chervil
Tarragon
Any other herbs such as coriander and flat leaf parsley
Olive oil
Lemon
Method
This is a simple but impressive recipe, perfect for a dinner party or a special occasion. The vivacity and oaked character of Ruinart Champagne will work beautifully with this dish. Because of the nearly aperitif style of Ruinart, it is imperative to keep the weight of the dish very light so it works in harmony with the champagne.
First prepare the mushroom tart. This is a lot easier than it sounds. Finely slice the mushrooms and heat a frying pan on a high heat. Add the oil and, when smoking, add the mushrooms. Season. When the mushrooms are wilted and nearly cooked add a knob of butter. Drain in a colander. When cool, transfer to a cloth and drain any excess moisture out.
Roll out the pastry to 2mm thickness on top of a sheet of baking parchment. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and test the seasoning. At this point feel free to add the mustard.
Spread the mushrooms on the rolled-out puff pastry in a thin but even layer. Place another piece of baking parchment on top and roll with a rolling pin. When evenly flat, sandwich the pastry between two baking sheets to weigh down and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees until crisp and golden brown. Leave to rest for a few minutes
Meanwhile prepare the trout. Set the oven to 70 degrees. Check for any pin bones and trim off any fat. Dress it with good quality olive oil and season. Place on a baking tray and cover as much of the flesh as possible with the herbs and thinly sliced lemon. Bake for about 20- 25 minutes until medium in the middle of the fillet, checking every few minutes after 15 minutes to ensure the trout does not overcook. Cooking trout in this way gives it a beautifully yielding and buttery texture, not unlike confit.
When the trout is within 5 minutes of being cooked, start with the mussels. Heat a pan with a tight fitting lid on the stove. When hot, add the mussels and champagne. Place the lid on the pan and cook until the mussels open. Drain in a colander reserving the juice. Pick the meat from the shells, discarding any which have not opened. Place in a bowl with three tablespoons of the cooking liquor. Season with chopped herbs, olive oil and the lemon juice. Allow to cool slightly.
Wash and thoroughly dry the herbs and frisée for the salad. Dress with the olive oil and lemon, and season.
To plate up, place a rectangular slice of the warm mushroom tart just off centre on the plate, remove the trout from the oven and remove the herbs and season with salt and lemon if necessary, place the trout hanging off the tart. Place a small mound of the herb salad on the other side of the tart. Dress the trout and the plate with the warm mussel vinaigrette and serve with Ruinart.
Ruinart’s perfect catch
Slow baked trout, mussel vinaigrette, mushroom tart and herb salad.
Ingredients
4 x 200g Trout steaks (skin on)
Herbs (as below).
500g mussels (scrubbed and de-bearded)
100ml Olive oil
50ml Champagne (or white wine)
30ml lemon juice
Seasoning
500g Chestnut mushrooms
A clove of Garlic
100g Puff pastry (all butter)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
Oil
Butter
Seasoning
Frisée lettuce
Chives
Chervil
Tarragon
Any other herbs such as coriander and flat leaf parsley
Olive oil
Lemon
Method
This is a simple but impressive recipe, perfect for a dinner party or a special occasion. The vivacity and oaked character of Ruinart Champagne will work beautifully with this dish. Because of the nearly aperitif style of Ruinart, it is imperative to keep the weight of the dish very light so it works in harmony with the champagne.
First prepare the mushroom tart. This is a lot easier than it sounds. Finely slice the mushrooms and heat a frying pan on a high heat. Add the oil and, when smoking, add the mushrooms. Season. When the mushrooms are wilted and nearly cooked add a knob of butter. Drain in a colander. When cool, transfer to a cloth and drain any excess moisture out.
Roll out the pastry to 2mm thickness on top of a sheet of baking parchment. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and test the seasoning. At this point feel free to add the mustard.
Spread the mushrooms on the rolled-out puff pastry in a thin but even layer. Place another piece of baking parchment on top and roll with a rolling pin. When evenly flat, sandwich the pastry between two baking sheets to weigh down and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees until crisp and golden brown. Leave to rest for a few minutes
Meanwhile prepare the trout. Set the oven to 70 degrees. Check for any pin bones and trim off any fat. Dress it with good quality olive oil and season. Place on a baking tray and cover as much of the flesh as possible with the herbs and thinly sliced lemon. Bake for about 20- 25 minutes until medium in the middle of the fillet, checking every few minutes after 15 minutes to ensure the trout does not overcook. Cooking trout in this way gives it a beautifully yielding and buttery texture, not unlike confit.
When the trout is within 5 minutes of being cooked, start with the mussels. Heat a pan with a tight fitting lid on the stove. When hot, add the mussels and champagne. Place the lid on the pan and cook until the mussels open. Drain in a colander reserving the juice. Pick the meat from the shells, discarding any which have not opened. Place in a bowl with three tablespoons of the cooking liquor. Season with chopped herbs, olive oil and the lemon juice. Allow to cool slightly.
Wash and thoroughly dry the herbs and frisée for the salad. Dress with the olive oil and lemon, and season.
To plate up, place a rectangular slice of the warm mushroom tart just off centre on the plate, remove the trout from the oven and remove the herbs and season with salt and lemon if necessary, place the trout hanging off the tart. Place a small mound of the herb salad on the other side of the tart. Dress the trout and the plate with the warm mussel vinaigrette and serve with Ruinart.