Smoked Trout Mousse with Cucumber Salad

Makes: 8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes (plus 2 hours refrigeration time)
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1x 500g whole smoked trout
1-2 titanium strength gelatine leaves
3 eggs, separated
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
100g butter, melted
½ cup (125ml) cream
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/3 cup (100g) whole egg mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Dill for serving

Melba toast
8 slices white bread

Cucumber salad
2 Lebanese cucumbers
1 tablespoon (20ml) cream
2 tablespoons chopped dill

1. Remove the skin and bones from trout which should leave 300g flesh.
2. Soften gelatine leaves in a cup of cold water. Squeeze dry and dissolve leaves in one to two tablespoons boiling water. Cool at room temperature.
3. Blend or process egg yolks and lemon juice until combined. With the motor operating, pour in the melted butter and blend until smooth. Break the trout into pieces as you add it, then the gelatine, cream, horseradish, mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Blend or process until mixed as desired, either smooth or with some texture, then transfer to a large bowl.
4. Beat the egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into the trout mixture in two batches.
5. Divide the mixture among eight (½ cup/125ml capacity) ramekins or other serving dishes, cover and refrigerate for two hours or until set.
6. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced) for Melba toast. Toast the bread lightly in a toaster and cut off the crusts. Carefully slice the toast horizontally, cut each piece in half diagonally and place on a baking tray.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, or until golden and crisp.
7. For cucumber salad, peel the cucumber in strips, leaving some of the green skin on. Halve, deseed and slice  thinly.  Place sliced cucumber in a colander, season with salt and after 15 minutes squeeze out excess moisture.  Place in a small bowl and stir through cream and dill.
8. To serve, garnish smoked trout mousse with a sprig of dill and serve with cucumber salad and Melba toast.

Lyndey’s Note: Hot smoked trout is whole smoked rainbow trout, not to be confused with sliced smoked trout, similar to smoked salmon. The use of gelatine makes the mousse firmer, and it is a matter of personal preference whether it is soft (1 leaf) or slightly firmer (2 leaves)