Name: Smoked stuffed trout with smoky garlic and lime mayo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 kg hickory or other dense woodchips soaked in cold water for 1 hour, drained; 1 lime, thinly sliced; 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved; 2 limes, thinly sliced; 2 rainbow trout (about 500gm each); 1 baby red cos lettuce, cut into wedges; Juice of 1 lime; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; Garlic and lime mayonnaise; 1 garlic head; 60 ml lime juice (¼ cup); 2 egg yolks; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 300 ml olive oil

Smoked stuffed trout with smoky garlic and lime mayo

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for smoked stuffed trout with smoky garlic and lime mayo.

Serves 2

Prep

30M

Cook

Total

1H 30M

Smoking tips

When smoking inside, ensure your kitchen is well ventilated, with the extractor fan on high and any windows open, to avoid triggering smoke alarms.

A well-sealed vessel is essential for smoking. Use two baking trays of exactly the same size, and seal the join with long strips of foil, crimping the edges tightly.

If you are using regular baking trays to smoke, line the base and sides of each one with several layers of foil. This will make them easier to clean and minimise tainting.

Alternatively, disposable aluminium trays are available from supermarkets and specialist barbecue shops. Opt for the sturdier ones for ease of handling.

Be precise with your timing, including the amount of time you stand the smoking vessel before you uncover it. Any greater length of time could result in an acrid, unpleasant flavour. We suggest taking the trays outside when uncovering them.

Make sure your woodchips are dry and dense to begin with. Each variety imparts a different flavour, so try experimenting with different ones to find your favourite.

The recipes we’ve produced here all use a hot-smoking method, where a direct heat source is used. The other method used by some manufacturers of smoked products is cold smoking, where the smoke is created in a chamber separate from the product to be smoked. In this case, the lower the temperature while smoking for a longer period of time, the more smoke flavour will be imparted.

Kettle-style barbecues (such as those made by Weber) are excellent for smoking as you can use them outside and they have a small compact chamber. If you’re using any other type of barbecue, check the manufacturer’s instructions before building a fire base.

Ingredients

1 kg hickory or other dense woodchips soaked in cold water for 1 hour, drained

1 lime, thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved

2 limes, thinly sliced

2 rainbow trout (about 500gm each)

1 baby red cos lettuce, cut into wedges

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic and lime mayonnaise

1 garlic head

60 ml lime juice (¼ cup)

2 egg yolks

1 tsp Dijon mustard

300 ml olive oil

Method

Main

1.Preheat a coal-bedded kettle barbecue to medium heat and set up for indirect grilling (see note). Add one-quarter of woodchips around coals and cook until smoke appears.

2.For garlic and lime mayonnaise, smoke garlic head on barbecue, turning occasionally, until tender and well flavoured (45 minutes-1 hour). Cool, then squeeze garlic from skins into a food processor, add lime juice, yolks and mustard, blend to combine, then gradually add olive oil in a thin, steady stream until thick. Season to taste. Makes about 350ml. Mayonnaise will keep refrigerated for 1 week.

3.Meanwhile, stuff lime slices and half the fennel slices into fish cavities, secure with string, then smoke on barbecue, covered and turning once halfway through cooking, until trout are cooked through and well flavoured (20-30 minutes; add more coals and wood chips to barbecue if embers and smoke die down).

4.Combine cos lettuce, lime juice and extra-virgin olive oil with remaining fennel slices and fronds in a bowl, season to taste and serve with warm trout and garlic and lime mayonnaise.

Note Indirect grilling is cooking away from the heat, using the top rack. It’s important to have your coal base well established and glowing before adding woodchips. Refer to your barbecue manual for instructions.
Drink Suggestion: Barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes