Avocado Gazpacho with cured trout, dill crème fraiche and trout tartar

Courtesy of 2016 SASSI Trailblazer winner Chef Carl van Rooyen

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

Avocado Gazpacho
  • Large cucumbers x 2 – cut into pieces
  • Green peppers x 2 – cut into pieces
  • Ripe plum tomatoes x 2each – cut into pieces
  • Onion x ½ – diced
  • Ripe avocados x 2 – cut into pieces and tossed in lemon juice
  • Juice of one lemon – grate the zest of and keep aside
  • Juice of two limes – grate the zest of and keep aside
  • Extra virgin olive oil x 12.5ml
  • Rock salt and white pepper ( ground freshly)
  • Basil – 10g
  • Crème fraiche x 50g (Greek yogurt can be used as well)
  • ½ teaspoon honey
  • Garlic x 1/2 small clove – crushed
  • Dill x 5g – chopped
Cured trout
  • 200g Salmon (skin on and pin boned)
  • 50g Salt
  • 100g Sugar, soft brown
  • 5g Ginger
  • 1 Orange zested
  • 1 Lemon zested
  • 2 Lime zested
  • 1Tbs Peppercorns
  • 5g Fresh Thyme
  • 1/4Tbs Coriander seeds (toasted)
  • 5g Fresh Mint
  • 5g Fresh Coriander
Tartare
  • 1 tsp Gherkins finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Red onion super finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Parsley finely chopped
  • 10ml Japanese mayo
  • Zest of 1/4 lime finely chopped
  • ½ tsp Capers finely chopped
  • Lime juice to taste
  • 100g of trout cut into very small cube

method

For the soup
  • Blend cucumber, green peppers, plum tomatoes , onion and basil in a blender until very fine
  • Pass through a fine sieve and discard what is left behind.
  • Rinse the blender and return the soup, blend in the avocadoes, lemon juice, lime juice and olive oil until smooth. Adjust consistency with a little cold water if needed.
  • Season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Chill in the freezer before serving


For the dill crème fraiche
  • Mix the crème fraiche, dill, garlic, honey, lemon and lime zest together
  • Season as needed


Cured Trout
  • Blend ginger, citrus zest, herbs and spices to make a rough paste.
  • In a bowl, mix with the salt and sugar.
  • Place trout, skin side down in a large tray.
  • Cover evenly with the salt mix
  • Cover and refrigerate for 4hrs
  • Remove fish from the salt and rinse excess salt off, patting the fish dry.

.

Preapartions
  • Mix all the ingredients together and season to taste


Tartare
  • Slice the cured trout as thinly as possible and make small roses out if it
  • Quenelle the trout tartar
  • Chill the bowls that are going to be used in the freezer beforehand
  • Pour 250ml of gazpacho into the chilled bowls
  • Place the cured trout, trout tartar and crème fraiche gently on top of the soup and garnish with dill