Name: Trout Tartare With Fennel Remoulade, Tobiko
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3 cups canola oil; 0.25 cup uncooked pure black wild rice; 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt; 8 small fennel bulbs with fronds (8 ounces each); 0.25 cup mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece); 0.5 tablespoon fish sauce; 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime); 1 teaspoon bottled yuzu juice; 1 (8-ounce) skinless fjord (Norwegian steelhead) trout fillet; 2.5 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (from 1 small onion); 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow bell pepper (from 1 small bell pepper); 2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped cucumber (from 1 small cucumber); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon Espelette pepper; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon yuzu tobiko; 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Puffed Rice (recipe follows); 2 teaspoons culinary citrus marigold petals

Trout Tartare with Fennel Remoulade — Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Active Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

Ingredients

Puffed Rice

3 cups canola oil
¼ cup uncooked pure black wild rice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Trout Tartare and Fennel Remoulade

8 small fennel bulbs with fronds (8 ounces each)
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
½ tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 teaspoon bottled yuzu juice
1 (8-ounce) skinless fjord (Norwegian steelhead) trout fillet
2 ½ tablespoons finely chopped red onion (from 1 small onion)
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow bell pepper (from 1 small bell pepper)
2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped cucumber (from 1 small cucumber)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon Espelette pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon yuzu tobiko
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Puffed Rice (recipe follows)
2 teaspoons culinary citrus marigold petals

Directions

Make the Puffed Rice:

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Heat oil in medium pot over medium-high until it reaches 425°F. While oil heats, line a tray or rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Gently pour rice into hot oil. Cook, undisturbed, until rice is puffed and floats to the surface, about 30 seconds. Using a mesh skimmer or a spider, quickly remove rice from oil, and transfer to prepared tray to drain. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. If you are not comfortable with frying the rice, pre puffed rice or masago (rice crackers) make a great substitute.

Trout Tartare and Fennel Remoulade

Place a medium metal bowl in freezer; chill at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Finely chop 2 1/2 tablespoons fennel bulb and 1 tablespoon fennel fronds from fennel; set aside for tartare mixture. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly shave 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fennel bulb from fennel, and pick 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fennel fronds from fennel; set aside for plating. Reserve remaining fennel for another use.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Stir together mayonnaise, ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, and yuzu juice in a small bowl until combined; set aside until ready to use.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Double-check trout for any skin, bones, or discolored meat; remove and discard as needed. Cut trout into 1/2- inch cubes. Place trout cubes, finely chopped fennel bulb, onion, bell pepper, and cucumber in chilled medium bowl. Gently stir in mayonnaise dressing until mixture is completely dressed. Gently stir in finely chopped fennel fronds, salt, and Espelette pepper. Cover tartare, and let marinate in refrigerator at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Place a 3- to 3 1/2-inch ring mold on center of a plate; fill mold about three-fourths full with some of the marinated tartare mixture (about 1/2 cup mixture). Top tartare with 1 teaspoon yuzu tobiko on left side of ring. Fill right side with 2 teaspoons Puffed Rice. In the center, where the tobiko and rice meet, place 1 teaspoon each shaved fennel bulb, picked fennel fronds, and 1/2 teaspoon marigold petals. Gently lift and remove ring mold. Repeat process 3 times on 3 additional plates. Serve immediately.

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Note

Some of these ingredients may not be readily available, the following substitutions can be made: Fjord trout can be substituted with any nice quality salmon, yuzu juice can be substituted with lemon juice, puffed rice can be substituted with rice crackers or masago rice balls, Espelette pepper can be substituted with black pepper, and yuzu tobiko can be substituted with any tobiko or fish roe.