Quality Italian Sea Trout Crudo
Recipe: Quality Italian Sea Trout Crudo
Quality Italian Sea Trout Crudo
Cured Trout Toast, Homemade at Every Step
Sometimes you want a project that’ll take the afternoon. Trout crudo is a dish for all seasons, and this recipe is ideal for a Saturday afternoon any time of year. Though its facets are many—from making the focaccia dough to curing the trout—none are difficult or technically demanding. At the end, you have a completely homemade dish that’s briny, complex, healthy, hearty, and uncompromisingly delicious. It’s a perfect family project, whether made on Father’s Day or just a breezy afternoon, as Chef Nick Gaube devised it as a dish that’s meant to be shared.
Since this dish doesn’t involve all too much cooking, what makes it so stellar? That would be the quality of the ingredients. From Castelvetrano Olives and toasty pine nuts to top-notch eggplant and herby Fenna Mundo, this crudo sings with artisanal integrity.
Quality Italian Sea Trout Crudo
Cured Trout Toast, Homemade at Every Step- Prep Time : 30 min.
- Cook Time : 90 min.
- Total Time : 300 min.
- Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- FOR CURED TROUT
- 7 oz. sea trout, cleaned
- 1 tbsp fennel salt
- FOR FOCACCIA
- 6 cups bread flour
- 4 cups warm water
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1 tbsp fresh yeast
- Maldon Sea Salt
- whole egg wash
- FOR EGGPLANT CAPONATA
- 1/2 cup Masseria Ghietta Salt Dried Eggplant Fillets, small dice
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano Olives, pitted and cut
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
- olive oil
- fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- FOR ASSEMBLY
- 3.5 oz. Fenna Mundo
- 7 oz. sea trout, cured
- 2/3 cups dried eggplant caponata
- 4-6 slices focaccia, about 1” thick
- fennel fronds, for garnish
- olive oil
- fresh lemon juice
- sea salt
Directions
- To Cure the Trout: Clean sea trout. Using 1/2 tablespoon of fennel salt, sprinkle on one side of the trout. Flip the trout over and sprinkle remaining salt mixture on top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes. When time has elapsed, remove fish from refrigerator and wash gently under cold running water. Place on paper towels and pat dry. Fish can be thinly sliced right away or stored in an airtight container for up to two days.
- To Make the Focaccia: mix all ingredients except Maldon Sea Salt with a dough hook on Speed One for 2 minutes and Speed Five for 3-5 minutes. Let the dough proof for 3 hours on parchment paper that is coated in olive oil. Stretch the dough on half sheet tray, brush egg wash over top, and sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt. Proof the dough in a lukewarm area for another 30 minutes. Bake focaccia at 400°F for 7 minutes, then turn and bake for an additional 7 minutes. Liberally coat finished bread with olive oil and let rest.
- To Make the Dried Pickled Eggplant Caponata: mix eggplant, olives, and pine nuts in a bowl. Season to taste with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- To Assemble: slice Fenna Mundo and place on toasted focaccia. Thinly slice trout and place on top of Fenna Mundo, finished with dried and pickled eggplant caponata and fennel fronds. Finish with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt.
