Confit ocean trout with puffed quinoa

At Flying Fish, Peter Kuruvita serves this dish with crisp ocean trout skin and toasted kombu seaweed to contrast with the soft creamy textures of the confit ocean trout and avocado mousse. The black quinoa has more bite than the slightly softer white variety, so Peter uses both to continue this balance of textures.

• serves

  6

• prep

  4:20 hours

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 70 g (⅓ cup) white and black quinoa
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry
• 1½ tbsp puffed quinoa (see Note)
• 1 tsp fennel pollen (see Note)
• 6 x 120 g ocean trout fillets
• 240 ml olive oil
• ocean trout or salmon roe and baby basil, to serve

Avocado mousse

• 1.5 g leaf bronze-strength gelatine
• 2 avocados
• 60 ml (¼ cup) milk

Drink match 2009 Quinta do Ameal Vinho Verde Loureiro.

Instructions

To make avocado mousse, soften gelatine in cold water for 3 minutes, then squeeze out excess water. Process avocados and milk in a food processor to a smooth paste. Season with white pepper and transfer to a bowl. Heat gelatine and 60 ml (¼ cup) water in a small saucepan over low–medium heat for 1 minute or until gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in one-third of the avocado paste. Add gelatine mixture to remaining avocado paste and whisk to combine. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until mousse sets. (The surface will oxidise and turn brown during this time. Skim surface just before serving and serve immediately).

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add quinoa. Cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa is almost tender. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve over a bowl, reserving water. Return water to saucepan and bring back to the boil. Place strainer with quinoa over boiling water, cover with a clean tea towel and steam for 10 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Set aside to cool.

Fill a deep-fryer or large pan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat to 160°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 20 seconds). Carefully add puffed quinoa and fry for 1 minute or until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Sprinkle over fennel pollen and cool.

Season ocean trout with salt and white pepper, then place each fillet in a zip-lock bag and place 2 tbsp olive oil in each bag. Seal bags removing as much air as possible (see Note). Place a folded tea towel in the base of a large saucepan or stockpot (this protects the bags from the heat at the bottom of the pan). Arrange bags over tea towel in a single layer and cover with water. Place a plate on top to ensure bags stay submerged. Cook over low heat until water reaches 50°C. Remove pan from heat and set aside for 8 minutes or until ocean trout is slightly firm and warmed through. Carefully remove ocean trout from bags, discarding oil. Remove skin from each ocean trout fillet and discard.

Divide quinoa and fish roe among plates. Top with ocean trout and a spoonful of avocado mousse and scatter over puffed quinoa and baby basil to serve.

Notes
• Puffed quinoa is available from health food shops and selected supermarkets.

• Fennel pollen is available from specialist spice shops.

• To remove air from a zip-lock bag, close the seal leaving a tiny gap, then slowly submerge the bag in a pan of cold water; the pressure will expel any air. Once the water has almost reached the top of the bag, seal the gap. 

Photography by Alan Benson.

As seen in Feast magazine, November 2011, Issue 3.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.