Potted Trout

Potting is an old English technique for preserving meat or seafood by storing it under a layer of fat, similar to French confit or rillettes. The food was traditionally cooked thoroughly to eliminate excess moisture then packed into a ceramic pot. Meats with a lot of natural fat could be sealed under a layer of their own fat, while seafood was generally covered with a layer of clarified butter. One smoked trout serves 4 people generously as a potted trout starter or even as a light meal with plenty of toast, salad and a glass or 2 of of Hills & Back Sangiovese Rosé. You could pack the mixture into 8 smaller dishes if you’re serving potted trout with several other courses.

Serves 4–8 as a starter

Ingredients

200g salted butter
1 smoked rainbow trout
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, coarsely crushed
¼ cup finely chopped dill
1 lemon
Salt flakes, to taste
Brown bread, toasted, for serving

Method

Melt butter over a low heat until the solids sink to the bottom, carefully pour off the clear fat from the top, discarding the milky solids that are left behind.
Discard skin and bones from trout and shred the meat.
Place in a mixing bowl with caraway and dill.
Grate the lemon zest into the bowl and add the juice of half the lemon.
Add a pinch of salt, mix to combine well, taste and add more salt or lemon juice if you like.
Stir through all except ¼ cup of the butter and beat with a wooden spoon to combine well.
Pack trout mixture tightly into 4 small ramekins.
Smooth the top and spoon remaining butter over it to seal.
Refrigerate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
Remove from fridge about 20–30 minutes before serving.
Serve with brown toast triangles.