This is a simple and fresh recipe that can be used as a starter or as a light lunch. We have used smoked trout but other fish can be used according to your own personal taste.
Smoked trout is now readily available from all good supermarkets and of course your local fish monger. All we did with the fish was to trim round the edges making sure we had removed any remaining find and checked for any bones.
The salad we made can either be served cold or warm. We served it cold . First we got some sliced smoked back bacon. We removed the rind and some of the excess fat. We then sliced it into thin strips. This was fried in a little olive oil until cooked and a little crispy. This was then drained onto a little kitchen paper to remove any oil and allowed to cool.
The green beans were trimmed to remove both ends and then cooked quickly in some lightly salted boiling water. When the beans were just cooked they were removed from the boiling water and plunged into ice water. This stops the cooking and helps to retain the nice green colour.
To make the salad we mixed the beans with the bacon strips. Into this we added some very thinly sliced red onion, a hand full of fresh bean shoots and some finely diced red pepper. This not only adds to the presentation but also adds a little sweetness to the dish. We mixed all the ingredients together with a little salt and some freshly ground black pepper and a very small amount of olive oil. That is now ready.
To serve the dish we put a mound of the salad in the middle of a plate. Around that we drizzled some avocado oil and a little reduced balsamic vinegar. Finally placing the trout fillet on top.
If you prefer to have the salad warm , I would fry the bacon as before, then toss in the freshly cooked beans. The remove from the heat before adding the other ingredients. Serve straight away or the salad will loose its colour as the beans will start to turn brown.
I hope that you will try this dish ,and of course enjoy it.
Paul Vincent, Head Chef.
