Smoked Trout Dip or Spread (Budget Gourmet)

I like to read luxe food magazines so I can find the hidden gems that are fast and easy on the wallet. Smoked trout is one of the best value smoked fish and widely available at everyday supermarkets. Use it to make this fancy looking Smoked Trout Dip!

Like Smoked Salmon Pots, Smoked Trout Dip or Spread are ideal for spreading onto crackers or crusty bread, or for using as a dip.

Smoked Trout Dip or Spread

“This is one of those starters that looks posh but only takes about 10 minutes to make. And it just gets better with time. You can make it up to a week ahead!”

I like to read luxe food magazines (like Gourmet Traveller) and pick out the recipes that are do-able and affordable by “real” people with “real” budgets like me. That’s not to say that Gourmet Traveller recipes are all unrealistic. But generally they take time to make, require a certain level of confidence in the kitchen, special equipment, or gourmet/expensive ingredients. So I usually reserve Gourmet Traveller recipes for special occassions.

So I get a bit of a kick out of finding a “gourmet” recipe in Gourmet Traveller that ticks my all boxes: easy, fast and affordable, as well as having the added bonus of being posh.

This recipe for Smoked Trout Dip aka Potted Smoked Trout is one of these finds. At first I dismissed it as “looks delicious but expensive ingredients”. But later that day I passed the seafood store and noticed the price tag for Smoked Trout. It was one of the cheapest items there – $15/kg ($7.50/lb)! The trout is sold whole, with the skin, head and tail in tact (the skin peels off easily and the flesh is very easy to remove).

Note: I did happen to pass the refrigerated seafood section at the supermarket later and noticed that the vacuum seal packs of smoked trout fillets costs about 3 times as much! So get it fresh from the fish shop if you live in Australia. But if you happen to live somewhere where vacuum sealed smoked trout fillets are as good value as whole smoked trout, get that instead – and I want to be you. 🙂

“This recipe calls for creme fraiche. But you can substitute with sour cream which is a very close substitute. The version I gave my mum to taste test which she LOVED was made with sour cream. :-)”

This Potted Smoked Trout is smokey and creamy with the freshness of dill and lemon. It spreads like a pate (but no liver!) and while it is great served on the day, it just gets better and better with time (it can be kept for up to 1 week).

This recipe serves 4 as a starter. You can serve one big pot to share, or make little ones. I made 2 medium size ones.

So for your next dinner party, will you be going le Gourmet on le Budget? – Nagi

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Smoked Trout Dip / Potted Smoked Trout (le Budget le Gourmet)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 10 mins

Starter

Servings4

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An elegant starter that is fast, easy and affordable. Use it as a dip or serve like a spread. Make sure to get whole smoked trout from the seafood shop with the skin on, not the vacuum sealed or canned portions. It's far cheaper and the flesh is much juicier and flavoursome. This recipe is adapted from Australian Gourmet Traveller. I have provided more detailed ingredients and directions, and changed a step that did not work for me.

Ingredients

• 1 stick / 4 oz / 120 g unsalted butter , roughly chopped
• 1 eschallot (golden shallot), finely diced (Note 1)
• 1 garlic clove , very finely chopped
• Rind of 1 lemon , very finely grated (yellow part only, the white part is bitter)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 lb / 500g whole smoked trout
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 4 oz / 120g creme fraiche (or sub with full fat sour cream) (Note 2)
• 1 tbsp cream (full fat, not whipped)
• 1/4 cup fresh dill , coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp chives , coarsely chopped

Instructions

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted, then pour 2/3 into a bowl and set aside.
• Add the shallot, garlic and lemon rind to the pan and let it cook gently for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent (it should not brown). You will only need to stir it occasionally.
• Meanwhile, remove the skin off the trout and discard. Use your hands to remove the flesh and place into a bowl, being careful to avoid the bones (you will be able to pull the flesh off the bones easily). Use a fork to flake the flesh. Discard the bones.
• Pour the shallot butter mixture into the bowl with the trout.
• Add lemon juice, cayenne pepper, creme fraiche, cream and herbs. Stir gently until well combined. Do a taste test and add salt and pepper if required. You may not need salt as smoked trout is often salty (I only add a tiny pinch).
• Spoon into jars or ramekins (1 large, 2 medium or 4 small) and smooth the surface.
• Pour over the reserved butter until the top is covered.
• Place in the refrigerator to set. (Note: Original recipe set to freeze it for 5 - 10 minutes first but I found that this caused the surface of the butter to crack).
• This can be served on the day you make it, but it gets even better with time. It can be made up to a week in advance.
• Serve with fresh or toasted bread.

Recipe Notes:

1. Golden shallots / eschallots / french shallots look like small onions but more pointy rather than round. Not to be confused with scallions / spring onions. However, this recipe would be fine made with scallions, spring onions or ordinary onions instead of eschallots. You will need around 2 tbsp very finely diced.

2. Creme fraiche is available in the cream/sour cream section of supermarkets. It is very similar to sour cream, though slightly creamier and not quite as tart, and is more expensive. Full fat sour cream is a VERY close substitute so if you want to save some money, just use sour cream. But please make sure to use full fat sour cream. Low fat just won't cut it!

3. The purpose of the butter is the seal the smoked trout spread. This keeps it fresh which is why it can be made a week in advance.

4. This can be made up to a week in advance. It can be served as soon as it is set but the flavour just gets better with time so I strongly recommend making it at least the day before.

4. The Nutrition assumes you eat all the butter that is set on top of the pot. But not all people eat the butter (much like the jelly on top of pate!). I myself don't eat it, especially if it is still firm because I serve it slightly chilled. In which case, the calories are significantly reduced because about 2/3 of the butter in the recipe is used to seal the pot rather than mixed in.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 147gCalories: 434kcal (22%)Carbohydrates: 3.5g (1%)Protein: 22g (44%)Fat: 37.3g (57%)Saturated Fat: 20.6g (129%)Cholesterol: 134mg (45%)Sodium: 248mg (11%)Potassium: 514mg (15%)Fiber: 0.5g (2%)Vitamin A: 1250IU (25%)Vitamin C: 8.3mg (10%)Calcium: 140mg (14%)Iron: 2.9mg (16%)

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