This festive season, there’s more need than ever to make the’most wonderful time of the year’ extra special and Irish trout will prove a spectacular addition to the table; whether within canapés or as a show-stopping starter.

mcith_Screenshot%202020-11-27%20at%2014.Fish and seafood often take centre-stage on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and with culinary experimentation and’small luxuries’ on the rise following two lockdowns, this year these ingredients are set to be more popular than ever.

Irish trout tastes fresh and luxurious; exactly what people associate with Christmas time. What’s more, it is a hugely versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in a variety of tasty formats: from cold-smoked Irish trout, to trout caviar and even trout pâté.

Lockdown has seen people having to expand their home cooking repertoire and become more creative in the kitchen. Research has found that with some people managing to save more money – due to limiting spend on holidays, travel and eating out – there’s an appetite to’trade up’ for higher-quality produce and adopt a’treat yourself’ mentality.

Beyond Christmas, Irish trout is the perfect addition to shopping trolleys for those looking to eat healthier in the new year. Packed full of protein and healthy fats, it’s the ideal treat that tastes indulgent, but won’t ruin your new year diet.

Irish trout tastes fresh and luxurious and is a hugely versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in a variety of tasty formats from Goatsbridge Trout Farm: from cold-smoked Irish trout, to trout caviar and even trout pâté.

Irish trout can be used as the hero ingredient in a range of delicious recipes:

Smoked Trout and Potato Gratin

mcith_image002.png

Ingredients:

200g/8oz Cold Smoked Trout (we recommend Goatsbridge Cold-Smoked Trout from Sainsbury’s)

8-10 Medium Sized Potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 tsp. Fennel Seeds

Small handful fresh Tarragon, chopped

250mls/9fl. oz. Cream

Handful Cheddar Cheese, grated

25g/1oz Parmesan

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Bring a pot of water to the boil then add the sliced potatoes. Simmer for approximately seven minutes until parboiled. Strain, then spread half the potatoes in a layer, slightly over-lapping, at the bottom of a greased ovenproof dish (standard lasagne dish will do).

  1. Layer the slices of cold smoked trout over the potatoes. Season with pepper (no salt as the smoked trout is salty enough). Sprinkle fennel seeds and tarragon on top. Layer the second half of the sliced potatoes over the fish.

  1. Pour the cream over the whole dish. Sprinkle a generous amount of cheddar cheese on top and freshly grate over the Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. Take the tinfoil off after 20 minutes to let the cheese brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Savoury Profiteroles with Trout Pate and Caviar

mcith_image004.png

Ingredients:

250ml/9fl oz water

50g/2oz butter

150g/6oz flour

1 tsp. fish spice (a blend of lemon, dill and parsley)

4 large eggs

1 pinch baking powder

For the filling:

125g Trout pate

Trout Caviar (we recommend Goatsbridge Rainbow Trout Caviar, available from Sainsbury’s)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Combine the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and add the flour and fish spice, stirring immediately.

  1. Place the saucepan on a low hear and keep stirring until there is a white film on the bottom of the saucepan and the dough is a compact ball.

  1. Again, remove from the heat and slowly add the beaten egg while blending with a hand mixer. Once the eggs are fully combined the mixture should drop slowly from a wooden spoon (return to the heat if the mixture is still too wet). Finally add a small pinch of baking powder and mix well to combine. Spoon the dough into a piping bag and pipe onto a baking tray (makes 12 large or 24 small profiteroles). Bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes (for small profiteroles) or 40 minutes (for larger ones). Once out of the oven, cut open with a sharp toothed knife and allow to cool.

  1. Fill the bottom part of the profiteroles with the trout pate and replace the top to enclose. You can garnish with some chopped chives and Trout Caviar.

mcith_image006.pngDrunken Trout Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. fennel fronds

2 tsp. capers

1 unwaxed lemon, juice and zest

80g/4oz Irish goat’s cheese

4 slices soda bread

80g/4oz cold-smoked trout (we recommend Goatsbridge Gin-infused Cold-Smoked Rainbow Trout, available from Sainsbury’s)

Seasonal salad leaves

1 avocado, sliced,

Se salt and cracked black pepper

For the pickle:

400ml/1 pint cider vinegar

180g/7oz sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 orange, rind only

1 tbsp. coriander seeds

1 fennel, sliced into matchsticks

1 apple, sliced into matchsticks

Method:

  1. First, make the pickle in advance. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, orange rind and coriander in a saucepan, place over a low to medium heat and heat until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool and then add the fennel and apple. You could also add matchstick slices of celeriac and beetroot. Pickle the vegetables overnight at a minimum.

  1. Mix the fennel, capers, lemon juice, zest and salt and pepper in a bowl with the goat’s cheese until combined then spread generously on two slices of soda bread.

  1. Top the two other slices of bread with the smoked trout and pickle. Divide the covered slices of bread between two plates and serve alongside the mixed leaves and avocado and finally season with good quality salt and pepper.

By Recipes