Truites Saumonées Froides

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Narrow 18-inch (46 cm) fish poacher or heavy metal roasting pan that fits the trout
• •Parchment paper for lifting the fish
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Long rimmed porcelain platter, 16 to 18 inches (41 to 46 cm) long and 1½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) deep
• •Fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth or coffee filters
• •Blender or immersion blender
• •Two broad fish spatulas
• •Soft pastry brush
• •Larger shallow tray for crushed ice

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the court-bouillon

   Combine the water, wine, vinegar, onion, carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt in a large pot. Bring slowly to a bare simmer and cook for 20 minutes, just long enough to draw the vegetables and herbs into the liquid. Strain without pressing the vegetables, because squeezing them clouds the liquor you will later use for the aspic. Set the pot in an ice bath and cool the court-bouillon completely.

2. 2

   Poach the trout gently

   Lay the trout on a parchment sling in the narrowest heavy metal roasting pan or fish poacher that will hold it without bending. Pour over the cold court-bouillon, making certain the fish is covered, then set the pan over low heat. Bring the liquid gradually to 175 to 180°F (79 to 82°C), rotating the pan if it spans two burners, and hold it there until the thickest flesh reaches 145°F (63°C), usually 35 to 50 minutes from cold. The surface should tremble at the edges but never boil. If bubbles begin breaking across it, pull the pan off the heat for a minute and lower the flame; ça se rattrape before the flesh begins to split.

   A narrow pan matters more than special equipment. It keeps the fish submerged without demanding a stockpot of court-bouillon.
3. 3

   Chill in its liquor

   Turn off the heat and leave the trout undisturbed in its court-bouillon for 10 minutes. Set the metal pan into a deep ice-water bath, replenishing the ice as it melts, and cool the liquid below 70°F (21°C) within 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate the trout, still submerged, until it is cold to the backbone and the liquid is below 40°F (4°C), at least 4 hours. Cooling in the liquor keeps the flesh moist and firms it enough to fillet cleanly.

4. 4

   Set the tomato mousse

   Bloom the 2 teaspoons gelatin in its 2 tablespoons cold water for 5 minutes. Melt the tablespoon of butter over gentle heat, soften the shallot without coloring it, then add the tomatoes, salt, and white pepper. Cook until the tomato is concentrated and a spatula drawn through the pan leaves a clean trail, about 15 minutes. Purée and pass it through a fine sieve, then whisk in the bloomed gelatin while the tomato is hot. Cool until barely room temperature. Whip the cold cream to soft folds and fold it through the tomato in three additions. This is the cold branch of mousses: the tomato must be concentrated before it is lightened, or the layer will leak water. If it begins setting into small lumps before the cream is incorporated, warm the bowl briefly over tepid water and whisk smooth. Spread the mousse ½ to ¾ inch (1.25 to 2 cm) deep in a chilled long platter and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

5. 5

   Make the fish aspic

   Ladle 2½ cups of the cold court-bouillon from around the trout and pass it through dampened cheesecloth or a damp coffee filter. Bring it to a gentle simmer and reduce to 2 cups (475 ml), skimming the surface rather than stirring. Bloom the 12 grams gelatin in the ¼ cup cold water for 5 minutes, remove the reduced liquor from the heat, and dissolve the gelatin in it completely. Do not boil after the gelatin goes in. Strain once more and chill, stirring occasionally, until the aspic is half-melted and coats a cold spoon like light syrup. Jewel-like clarification required a brigade and is unnecessary here; careful straining gives the somewhat clear, succulent aspic the dish asks for.

6. 6

   Prepare the decorations

   Butter a small heatproof ramekin, pour in the egg whites, and cover it. Set the ramekin in a shallow pan of barely simmering water and poach until the whites are opaque and just firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool, unmould, and cut them into small lozenges or crescents. Pick over the tarragon and chervil leaves, and crumble the cooked lobster coral if you have it. Keep every decoration cold.

7. 7

   Fillet and rebuild

   Lift the thoroughly chilled trout from its liquor on the parchment sling and drain it well. Sever the head and tail cleanly and reserve them. Peel away every piece of skin, then lift off the upper fillet with a long flexible knife. Remove the backbone and ribs in one piece, lift the second fillet, and pull any remaining pin bones. Lay the fillets on a chilled parchment-lined tray, former skin sides down, and decorate them with tarragon, chervil, poached egg white, and lobster coral, using a little syrupy aspic to hold the pieces. Chill for 10 minutes. Transfer the fillets to the firm tomato mousse with two wide spatulas, back to back so their thick dorsal edges meet, then replace the head and tail. If a fillet tears, fit the pieces together in their proper shape. The aspic will hold the join, and no one at the table needs an explanation.

8. 8

   Glaze with half-melted aspic

   Check that the fish, decorations, mousse, and platter are all thoroughly cold. Spoon a very thin coat of half-melted aspic over the trout from the center outward, guiding it over the sides with a soft pastry brush. Chill for 10 minutes to seal the decorations, then add two or three more thin coats, chilling briefly between them, until the fillets, head, and tail wear one clear glossy covering. If the aspic runs straight off, stop and chill both fish and aspic for 10 minutes. If it sets solid in the bowl, stand the bowl over barely warm water and stir only until syrupy again. Ça se rattrape. Aspic that is hot enough to melt the tomato mousse has gone too far.

   Several thin coats give a clearer, more even finish than one heavy pour. The first coat fixes the decoration; the later coats provide the gloss.
9. 9

   Set and serve cold

   Refrigerate the finished trout for at least 1 hour, uncovered until the final coat sets and then loosely covered without touching the aspic. For service, nest the long platter in a larger shallow tray of crushed ice. This replaces the carved block of ice cleanly and keeps the fish properly cold at the table. Cut through the aspic with a sharp knife and lift portions with a broad fish server, taking tomato mousse beneath each piece. Keep the platter chilled and return leftovers to the refrigerator within 2 hours. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Saumonée describes the trout's pink flesh, not a salmon-trout hybrid. Ask the fishmonger for a whole pink-fleshed ocean trout or large rainbow trout that will fit your narrowest poaching pan, and have it scaled, gutted, and gilled while preserving the head and tail.
• •Lobster coral is a traditional decorative accent, but it can be difficult to source. Ask a fishmonger handling cooked female lobster; if none is available, omit it rather than replacing it with an unrelated red garnish. The herbs and poached egg white still preserve the entry's clean decoration.
• •Gelatin strengths vary, so weigh it. Six grams gives the tomato mousse enough structure to support the trout, while 12 grams sets the aspic firmly enough to coat without turning it rubbery.
• •The aspic needs only to be somewhat clear. Filter gently and never press the aromatic vegetables or stir the reducing liquor, both of which force particles back into suspension.
• •Pour a dry, mineral white wine with the trout. Chablis or a restrained Loire white has enough acidity for the tomato and aspic without overwhelming the cold fish.

Advance Preparation

• •The court-bouillon can be made up to 2 days ahead, strained, and kept thoroughly chilled. Starting the trout in cold liquid is essential, so this is useful work to finish early.
• •Poach the trout and set the tomato mousse the day before service. Keep the fish submerged in its cold court-bouillon, then fillet and glaze it on the day it will be served.
• •The completed platter can be glazed up to 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate it uncovered until the aspic sets, then protect it with a loose cover that cannot touch the surface.
• •Keep the finished dish at or below 40°F (4°C) and serve within 24 hours of assembly. Freezing damages both the mousse and the aspic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 465g)