Seared Sea Trout with Pea & Lemongrass Velouté
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 4 x 140g pieces sea trout fillets
- 750 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 425 g frozen peas thawed on a tray, in a single layer
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 lemongrass stalks outer layer removed and finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tbls minced ginger
- 2 Tbls sunflower oil or butter
- 50 ml coconut milk
- Handful of mint leaves blanch in salted water, then run under a cold tap immediately.
- 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
- 2 pak choi washed and cut in half.
- 1 lime cut into quarters
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Garnish with a few cooked peas and mint.
Instructions
- Begin with making the veloute. In a saucepan, heat the sunflower oil or 1 tablespoon of butter, add the onion and lemongrass then saute, without colour for a few minutes. Now add the minced ginger and garlic, cook on a low heat for a minute or 2, being careful not to burn the garlic. Now add the stock, bring to a rapid boil, then add the peas, bring back to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat and blend in a high speed blender. Once blended add the spinach, blanched mint and coconut milk, blend again until it’s really smooth. Pass through a sieve if you want it really smooth. Season to taste and chill quickly to keep the intense green colour if you’re not using it immediately. Otherwise pour into a saucepan, ready to heat.
- Now to cook the sea trout. Have a heavy based, cast iron pan ready on the hob, on a medium-high heat. add a little sunflower oil. Season the fish on both sides. Place the fillets skin side down in the pan. Now timings will vary due to the thickness of the fillet. The idea is to cook the fish approximately 70% of the time on the skin side, this prevents the fish drying out. Also if you like your sea trout slightly under done like me you’re going to have to watch the pan carefully. As the fish cooks you will see the colour of the flesh changing. When its two thirds cooked, flip it over and turn the heat OFF. Leave for 30-60 seconds. Remove from the pan and place on a warm plate and pop in the oven on 100°C while you cook the pak choi.
- Place the pak choi in the cast iron pan, cut side now on a medium high heat with a drizzle of oil and season. Sear for 30 seconds then add a few splashes of water and cover with a lid or baking sheet. Steam for a minute or 2. Remove from the heat. Heat the veloute and serve a ladle full in bowls. Place the sea trout in the bowl with the pak choi and peas and a few mint leaves. Serve with lime wedges.