Smoked trout, courgette & broad beans, with ginger, chilli & lemon
On the one hand this recipe is British summer in a bowl - think seasonal courgettes, fresh garden mint, and smoked trout with vibrant pops of the brightest summer green from sweet peas and broad beans; and on the other hand it’s a zesty, feisty salad with the unexpected yet delightful zing of citrus, warmth of ginger, and heat of red chilli...
Blanching peas and broad beans is the only cooking required here, so this one can be rustled up very quickly. It’s key to only dress the salad right before you want to eat, as the courgette noodles will wilt rather quickly in the acidity of the lemon dressing. In the absence of a spiraliser a veg peeler makes lovely courgette ribbons which will work just as well.
And what to pair with it? This is Joey’s favourite bottle of wine of all time… a skin-contact Pinot Gris. Catch the short pairing video, filmed with wine pals Liebherr UK, here on our instagram.
The wine has a beautiful copper hue thanks to the time it’s spent macerating on the grape skins. There’s bright acidity and pleasing tension in the mouth - thanks to that skin-contact - which cuts through the oily fish wonderfully.
And flavour-wise, this orange Pinot Gris offers notes of bitter grapefruit, quince, lemon, almond and even ginger which compliment the bold lemon, ginger & red chilli dressing in the salad, and the nutty pops of toasted hazelnuts. Neither will outshine or undercut the other - they’re perfect dance partners.
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
This recipe serves 4.
Ingredients :
16 broad beans, podded
1 cup peas (~150 g)
4-6 courgettes, depending on size
⅓ cup hazelnuts (45 g)
250 g hot smoked trout
8 sprigs of mint
1 lemon, juice & zest
1 red chilli
1 large thumb ginger
4 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp flakey sea salt
Method:
You can prepare all the individual elements in advance, but only dress and toss the salad when you are ready to eat.
If your hazelnuts need toasting, pop on the oven and roast them for 8-10 minutes at 160 degrees until golden. Allow to cool, then coarsely chop.
Start by making the dressing to allow time for all the flavours to mingle. Zest and juice the lemon, de-seed and finely dice the red chilli, and peel and finely grate the ginger. Combine these ingredients with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and half a teaspoon of flakey sea salt. Mix well and stand to one side until needed.
Bring a generous pot of salted water to the boil, and once boiling blanch the peas and broad beans for 2-4 minutes. Drain immediately and allow the steam to billow off well.
Top and tail the courgettes then spiralise into ‘courgetti’ or use a vegetable peeler to shave into thin ribbons.
Flake the hot smoked trout into bite size pieces.
Pick the mint leaves from the stalks and roughly chop with a sharp knife to prevent bruising.
When you are ready to eat, combine all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl - perhaps hold back a few chopped hazelnuts and mint leaves for garnishing - and toss well with your lemon, ginger & red chilli dressing. Tip into a serving bowl and enjoy right away.
Sip on your delightfully chilled Pinot Gris as you enjoy this salad and let us know how you find the pairing - please get in touch on instagram, we’d love to hear! @joeyandkatycook
You can find this utterly delightful wine - Pinot Gris “V” 2018, from Alsace - here, via Buon Vino.
