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.

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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