Ingredients (serves 6):

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 sprigs rosemary
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 12 Dutch Cream potatoes, peeled
• 100g chicken fat, melted
• sea salt flakes and freshly-ground white pepper
• 6 x 160g ocean trout fillets, skin on and pin bones removed
• 2 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 cup mixed herb shoots
• 6 cornichons, finely diced

ROSEMARY-INFUSED OCEAN TROUT WITH GARDEN PEAS AND SCHMALTZY DUTCH CREAM POTATOES

Preparation:

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine the extra virgin olive oil, rosemary and fenugreek in a small saucepan and set over a moderate heat. Cook until bubbles begin to appear from the rosemary, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. Strain through a fine sieve.

2. Steam the potatoes for 30 minutes, until just tender, then set aside to cool. Halve lengthways, then mix with the chicken fat and season with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan and bake for 40 minutes, until golden and crispy.

3. Pour 1 Tbsp of the rosemary infused oil into a large non-stick frying pan and set over a low-moderate heat. Place the fish pieces in skin side down and cook for 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderate, then add the remaining oil and continue to cook, basting constantly, until the fish is medium.

4. Blanch the sugar snap peas and mix with the herb shoots and cornichons, then serve with the potatoes and fish.

COOK’S NOTES: ‘Schmaltz’ is the Yiddish (European Jewish) term for chicken fat. You can render your own (there are plenty of online guides, or you’ll find it in jars in the oils section of your supermarket.