Cured Trout with Smoky Sauce

Put ⅓ cup of water in a saucepan

Add 4 tsp of white sugar and ¾ tsp of salt

Add 2 tsp of vinegar. Mix to combine and bring to a boil until dissolved

Place ⅔ cup of washed fennel seeds in a clean pickling jar

Pour the hot liquid, close the jar and allow to cool. The pickled fennel seeds are ready

Mix 1 tbsp of dijon mustard, 1 tbsp of whole grain mustard and 1¾ tbsp of flaky salt in a bowl

Add 4 tbsp of honey and 1 tsp of pickled fennel seeds and 2 tsp of the pickling liquid

Finely chop 1 bunch of fresh dill

Add the fresh dill and mix to combine

Marinate 2 cleaned trout fillets with the mustard mixture

Cover the fillets and let them rest for 24h in the fridge, until they absorb the flavors

Peel 3 amalfi lemons. Thinly slice the peels

Put the peels in a small jar and add 1 tbsp of flaky salt

Add ¼ cup of vegetable oil and ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Mix

Place the mixture in a sealable jar and close the lid. Heat the jar with the oil in a water bath at 60°C for 15m to infuse. The amalfi perfume oil is ready

Place the bones of 1 fish on a rack in a baking tray. Smoke it for 30m below 100 °C until it smells and tastes smoky

Trim, peel and roughly chop 1 onion

Trim, peel and roughly chop 1 carrot

Peel and roughly chop ½ of a celeriac

Roughly chop ½ fennel bulb

Chop 1 leek

Drizzle vegetable oil in a stock pot. Add the onion and sweat it until translucent

Add the carrot

Add the remaining vegetables and mix

Let the vegetables roast

Add ¼ cup of white wine

Add 1 l of water and the smoked fish bones

Simmer for 6h until reduced to two thirds

Peel 3 onions

Confit 3 whole onions in 2 cups of vegetable oil at 80 °C for 1h until completely tender

Slice the remaining 3 onions into julienne slices

Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and ¼ cup of sugar. Cook the onions until golden brown and caramelized

Add ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup of thick aged balsamic vinegar and 1 Qt of water

Poach the onions for 1h over low heat to combine the flavors

Pass the caramelized onions through a strainer and reserve the glaze

Cut the whole onions in half and place them face down in a frying pan over medium heat

Add the glaze to the pan and baste the onions with it until the are golden brown and cooked through. The caramelized onions are ready

Remove the fish fillets from the refrigerator. Wash off the marinade and pat them dry

Cut the fillets in three parts. Let them air dry for 1h to remove any additional water

Strain the fish stock and reduce it until ½

Squeeze 2 tbsp of lemon juice

Add ¼ cup of butter to a pot. Cook it over medium heat until golden brown

Add 2 cups of heavy cream and mix

Add 2 tbsp of white wine to a heated saucepan

Add 1 cup of the reduced smoked fish stock and simmer

Pour the heavy cream mixture while mixing with a hand blender

Add the lemon juice and season with salt to taste. Continue mixing until it forms a foam. The fish sauce is ready

Grill the fillet, skin side down, until crispy. Flip it over for a few seconds. The cured trout is ready

Serve the cured trout, skin side up, on a plate. Add a caramelized onion and fish sauce to taste

Garnish with edible flowers and picked fennel fronds to taste

Drizzle the amalfi oil over the fish. The cured trout with fish sauce is ready

Enjoy this classic dish!