BEAUTIFUL FOOD

EASY AND DELICIOUS FOOD TO SHARE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

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Nasturtium & dill-cured ocean trout

Serves 10-12

500g caster sugar

500g fine table salt

1 bunch dill, leaves picked and finely chopped

Handful of nasturtium leaves, finely chopped

1.5kg ocean trout, skin off

Crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

Extra dill, to serve (optional)

You will need to prepare this recipe at least 1-3 days in advance. This is paired with the rye and fennel seed leaves (see recipe, right).

1 Combine the sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the dill and nasturtium.

2 Press the chopped leaves firmly into both sides of the ocean trout. Spread half the salt cure mixture across the bottom of a large lidded container the size of the fillet. Place the fish on top, then cover with the remaining cure mixture until you can't see any of the flesh. Seal with the lid and place in the refrigerator. If you're using fish fillets, the curing may be finished in a day, but a whole side of fish will generally need 2-3 days.

3 The curing process will draw the liquid out of the fish. Test if your fish is ready by pushing away the cure mix and touching the flesh to see if it has firmed slightly or still feels very soft inside. If you want to continue curing the fish, discard any liquid and replace the cure mixture with a fresh coating to continue to draw out the liquid. Once finished, gently brush off the cure mix and rinse the fish under cold water, being careful not to strip the chopped leaves away. Pat dry with paper towel.