Smoked trout crispbread with fresh asparagus and sorrel

TV chef Valentine Warner became a friend the Peter’s Yard team back in 2008. He remains a fan to this day listing us as one of his favourite suppliers.

This year he’s been working with us to create a series of simple and delicious Swedish inspired toppings to serve on our crispbread. Drawing on his love of seasonal ingredients and the simple idea of the Scandinavian open sandwich, Val has created four recipes that taste as good as they look.

Serves 4

This topping serves four using one very large Peter’s Yard crispbread, which can be cut with a sharp knife to serve. Alternatively serve on four individual standard size crispbreads.

Ingredients:

• 225g hot smoked trout, flaked
• 1 tub cream cheese (e.g. 180g tub of Philadelphia)
• 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon cut into small lardons
• 4 medium spears raw asparagus, sliced along the length to create thin strips
• 6 radishes very thinly sliced
• A handful of fresh redcurrants
• 1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• ½ tbsp rice flour or plain flour
• 1 jar salmon roe, optional
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 5 sorrel leaves, torn
• 1 small bunch of dill
• A handful chives, cut in thirds
• Sunflower oil
• Black pepper
• Salt

Method:

1. Pour about 3 cm in depth of sunflower oil into a small frying pan. Bring up to a medium heat and fry the bacon lardons in the oil until they are well coloured and crisp. Remove the bacon from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
2. Toss the onion slices in the flour, shake and pat off any excess.
3. Bring the oil to heat again. If using a thermometer the oil should be at 170C. If you don’t have a thermometer then test the temperature of the oil by dropping a piece of the onion into it where it should sizzle and foam immediately. Once the oil is at temperature, carefully drop all the coated onions into the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until they are deep golden brown. Transfer the onions to kitchen paper with a slotted spoon to drain. They should be totally crisp once cooled. Season with salt.
4. Take the asparagus and radish slices and toss in a bowl with the lemon juice and pepper. Season with a little salt.
5. Spread the crispbread thickly with cream cheese, taking it to no less than 1 cm from the edges. Place the flaked trout here and there over the cheese, far enough apart to get a piece with every mouthful. Place the asparagus, radishes, sorrel and redcurrants evenly across the crispbread.
6. Follow with small dollops of the salmon roe, placed here and there.
7. Scatter over the herbs, crispy onions and bacon.
8. Apply a good grind of black pepper followed by a light sprinkling of finely grated lemon zest.