Recipe: Paul Ainsworth’s Cornish Gin and Beetroot-cured Chalk Stream Trout, Dill and Lemon Rodda’s Cornish Clotted Cream served on a Chive and Spring Onion Scone

• Serves 4
• Preparation time: 1 hour
• Cooking time: 20 minutes (plus 12 hours curing time)

Ingredients

For the trout (cure the trout the day before)

• 100g beetroot (raw or cooked)
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 100g Cornish sea salt
• 60g unrefined caster sugar
• 50ml Paul Ainsworth’s Daring Gin (or similar)
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1 small bunch of dill (reserve 1 sprig for garnishing the dish)
• 1 side of chalk stream trout, skin removed
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for brushing and dressing the scones)

For the chive scones:

• 170g Greek yogurt
• 60g buttermilk
• 4 egg yolks (retaining 1 tbsp for glazing)
• 20g malt extract
• 250g self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 85g spelt flour (or Emmer or Khorasan flour)
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 50g grated Gran Padano or Parmesan
• 30g grated cheddar
• 75g unsalted butter, diced
• 1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
• 1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped (reserve the best one for garnishing the dish)

To finish:

• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• A few sprigs of dill
• 227g of Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream

Tools:

• Vegetable peeler
• Food processer
• Frying pan
• Dish
• Cling film
• Kitchen paper
• Jug
• Stand mixer with paddle
• Baking tray
• 50mm round cutter
• Pastry brush
• Teaspoon

Method:

1. Cure the trout (this can be done up to 5 days in advance)

Peel the beetroot and place it in a food processor. Next place a frying pan over medium heat and toast the coriander, fennel and whole black peppercorns until fragrant and aromatic – this will only take a few minutes. Add the toasted spices to the processor with the beetroot, Cornish sea salt, sugar, gin, lemon zest and dill then blend until you get a smooth paste.

Then place your trout in a suitably sized dish and rub this paste all over the trout and cover with cling film. Place in the fridge to cure for 12 hours.

Remove the cured trout from the fridge and rinse in cold water to remove the excess cure, herbs and spices. Pat dry with clean kitchen paper, cover with cling film and reserve in the fridge until you need it.

2. Make your chive scones

Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Combine the Greek yoghurt, buttermilk, egg yolks and malt extract together in a jug, mix well and store in the fridge.

Combine the two flours, salt, baking powder and two cheeses in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Add the butter and mix on a slow speed for 10-15 minutes until you achieve a breadcrumb-like texture. Alternatively, mixing by hand will be just as effective.

Add the chopped chives and spring onions to the buttermilk mix, and with

the mixer on low speed pour the entire contents of the jug into the dry ingredients. Stop the machine when you have a rough dough then tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together by hand.

Next roll out your dough into a round 2 cm high slab. Slide your dough onto a tray, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 15- 20 minutes.

Remove the scone dough from the fridge and using a 50mm round cutter cut out your scones. Flour well before cutting out each one and press the cutter in a straight downward motion. Tap out firmly and confidently onto the baking sheet. Make sure all your scones are presented with the smoothest side facing up and are well spaced.

Next, carefully brush the top of each scone with the remaining egg yolk. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown and risen.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

3. Assemble the dish

Pre-heat your grill on its highest setting.

Slice the trout into 1⁄2 cm slices with a sharp knife. Brush each slice with some extra virgin olive oil and “season” with lemon zest.

Cut each scone in half and toast under the pre-heated grill. Arrange 4–5 slices of sliced trout on each toasted scone half, then add a teaspoonful of Rodda’s Cornish clotted cream on top. Season the clotted cream with a small pinch of cayenne pepper.

Slice the reserved spring onion very thinly at a 45-degree angle and separate the rings. Arrange a few rings on each dish, then finish each topped scone with a few sprigs of dill and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.