Recipe: Mojito Cured Sea Trout

PUBLISHED: 17:05 12 September 2016 | UPDATED: 17:05 12 September 2016

Julian Read

EXG OCT 16 recipe starter

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EXG OCT 16 recipe starter

Head chef Neil Austin has been at Mimosa for only six months, having previously worked in other top Essex eateries. Neil explains: ‘This is a step up for me to further my catering career. It’s a much bigger kitchen and we deal with many more covers.’ One of the newest additions to the Mimosa menu is the dry aged steaks. ‘They are dry aged by us on the premises to give them more body and flavour. We have some huge ones you can share, like the Porter House Steak or the Tomahawk. Nowhere else does steaks like these, you can really taste the difference.’ Here Neil shares his recipe for a sea trout starter with a twist

Ingredients

Serves 4

For the cucumber ketchup

4 cucumbers (skinned and de-seeded)

1 small, white onion

1 tsp of sea salt

400g of sugar

¼ tsp of English mustard

2 sticks of peeled celery

200ml of rice/white wine vinegar

For the cured sea trout

1 side of sea trout, skin left on (you can use fresh salmon fillet as an alternative)

100g of sea salt

100g of sugar

12-20 fresh mint leaves (chopped)

75ml of Bacardi rum

1 whole lime (finely chopped)

For the mojito gel

200g of thick mayonnaise

Finely grated lime zest

Juice of ½ fresh lime

2-4 fresh mint leaves (finely chopped)

20ml of Bacardi rum

25g of sugar

For the sesame prawn samosa

6-8 raw king prawns chopped to almost a puree

Small pinch of salt and pepper

Few drops of fresh lime juice

2-3 drops only of sesame oil

For the cucumber salad

1 cucumber (cut into fine strips. You can grate the cucumber if you prefer and remember to squeeze out the excess liquid)

Pinch of sugar

2-3 chopped mint leaves

Pinch salt and pepper

½ tsp of honey

Method

For the cucumber ketchup, place all the ingredients into a pan. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and liquidise, then place in a sealed jam jar and keep refrigerated.

For the cured sea trout, place the fish on cling film and mix the salt, sugar and chopped mint together. Cover the flesh side of the fish with the mix and chopped lime. Lightly and evenly pour over the rum and wrap the fish tightly in cling film. Place on a tray and allow to cure for three days turning the fish every day. After three days, remove from the liquor and wash the fish in cold water to remove excess salt. Slice thinly to eat.

For the mojito gel, mix all the ingredients together and blend in a food processor for a smoother consistency.

For the sesame prawn samosa, mix all the ingredients together and wrap in samosa sheets. (These can be purchased from most Oriental supermarkets). Shallow fry in hot oil for a few minutes to cook through.

For the cucumber salad, mix all the ingredients together, plate and enjoy.

Get the Taste

Mimosa Restaurant and Deli

Colchester Business Park

The Crescent

Colchester

CO4 9YQ

01206 751555