English Pea Pancakes with Smoked Trout and Red Onion Creme Fraiche
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 cups English peas (fresh preferable, frozen OK)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 12 tablespoons all-purpose flour (sifted)
- Olive oil (for cooking and finishing)
- Fresh pea shoots to garnish, if available 1 lemon
Smoked Trout
- 3/4 cup salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 fresh trout filets (de-boned)
Red Onion Crème Fraîche
- 1 1/2 cups crème fraiche
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons brunoise red onion
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Yield: 4 servings of 3 pancakes each TO PREPARE THE PANCAKES In a medium sauce pot, bring 10 cups water to a rolling boil, then add 3 tablespoons salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath of 6 cups water and 6 cups of ice in a large bowl. Add the English peas to the pot of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Immediately strain the peas and discard the water, quickly placing the peas into the ice bath. Once the peas have fully cooled (about 8 minutes), strain and dry them completely. Place the peas in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds, until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the egg yolks, whole eggs, cream, salt, pepper and flour. Continue to run the food processor for 1 additional minute, until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to use. TO PREPARE THE SMOKED TROUT In a mixing bowl combine the salt, sugar and both zests. Place the trout, skin side down, on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Evenly distribute the salt, sugar and citrus zest mixture over the trout, lightly pressing into the flesh. Refrigerate for 1 hour. After an hour, rinse the trout thoroughly and dry, using paper towels. Place the filets in your smoker and smoke at 225° for 1 hour, according to the smoker’s directions, until the flesh is flaky. Refrigerate until ready to use. *Smoked trout is also available commercially, if you don’t have time (or a smoker) to smoke your own. We like the McFarland Springs smoked trout available at the seafood market at Fish. restaurant in Sausalito. TO PREPARE THE RED ONION CRÈME FRAÎCHE Mix together the first 3 ingredients, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. TO ASSEMBLE AND SERVE Preheat a nonstick pan over medium heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan. Place 3-tablespoon portions of the pancake batter in the middle of the pan and allow to cook for 4 minutes before flipping. Cook each pancake for an additional 3 minutes, then remove from the pan. Continue to cook pancakes until the batter has all been used. You should have 12 pancakes. Top each pancake with flakes of the smoked trout and a dollop of crème fraîche. Garnish with fresh pea sprouts, if available. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to serve.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Jared Rogers
