Recipe by Southbrook Vineyards (Chef Tania Ganassini of the Norton Underground)
Ingredients:
2 Sustainable Ontario trout fillets (with pin bones removed)
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1/4 tsp cracked peppercorn
1 cup Ontario nectarines with skin on and finely diced
1 cup cantaloupe, seeded and finely diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3 scallion pieces, sliced thin
1 cup fresh cilantro, stems on
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup Ontario cold-pressed sunflower or canola oil
2 cloves of whole garlic
1/4 cup Southbrook Chardonnay vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 medium yellow or green zucchini
4 pieces breakfast radishes (optional)
Directions:
• Trout cure: in a large jar or Tupperware with a lid, mix the salt, sugar and peppercorn together. Seal and shake to combine.
• Sprinkle a third of the cure onto a shallow baking dish or tray long enough to fit the trout fillets. Lay the trout (skin-side-down without overlapping. Sprinkle the remainder of the cure over the flesh. Be sure to disperse the majority of the mixture onto the thickest parts of the fish. Put the dish or tray into the fridge to cure for two hours.
• While the fish cures, make the vinaigrette: in a blender add the basil leaves, cilantro (reserving a few small leaves of each for garnish), garlic, mustard and vinegar. Puree until icompletely smooth. Turn the blender speed to low and drizzle in the oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
• Zucchini ribbons: preheat an outdoor grill to medium or prepare an indoor grill pan. Wash the zucchini and leave the skin on. Using a Japanese mandolin, a vegetable peeler or a knife, slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch ribbons. Lightly season the zucchini with salt and pepper and grill for one minute per side to achieve grill marks, and to soften slightly. Place the zucchini ribbons into a large bowl and toss with half of the basil-cilantro vinaigrette. Let it marinade for at least 15 minutes — you can prepare these the day before and let them marinate in the fridge overnight.
• Salsa: In a large bowl, mix the nectarine, melon, red onion, scallion and jalapeno. Toss with remaining vinaigrette, reserving 4 tbsp of the vinaigrette for plating. Season with salt and pepper.
• When the trout has cured for two hours, preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Remove the trout from the cure and rinse it under a gentle stream of cold water. Pat dry with paper towel. Line a tray with parchment paper. Drizzle1 tsp of sunflower or canola oil onto the parchment and place the trout (skin-side-down) onto the tray.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Place the trout onto the plate and arrange the marinated zucchini ribbons around it in cylindrical shapes. Spoon the salsa on top of the trout and garnish it with cilantro and basil leaves. Garnish trout with thinly shaved breakfast radish for colour and fresh crunch.
