Ingredients

For the Steelhead:

4 - 6oz Steelhead Trout (Lois Lake if possible)

150ml Sea Salt

1ltr Cold Water

60ml Picual Medium Intensity EVOO

For the Potatoes:

3 lg Yukon Gold Potatoes

8 strands Saffron

60ml White Wine

250ml Water

For the Pesto:

2 bunches Italian Parsley

30ml Grana Padano Parmesan Cheese

30ml Toasted Walnuts

2 cloves Garlic

1 Lemon

60ml Picual Medium Intensity EVOO

Sea Salt to taste

For the Tuile

250ml Water

60ml Picual Medium Intensity EVOO

1 tbsp All Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp Cuttlefish Ink

For the Finishing:

1 stalk Celery

2 heads Endive

30ml Butter

60ml Apple Juice

Preparation

For the Steelhead

In a small pot combine the sea salt and water and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir to dissolve the salt in the water.

Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

Rinse and dry the Steelhead. Use tweezers to remove any pin bones and the skin.

Once the water is cold, soak the fish in the water for 20 minutes. This will keep the fish moist through the cooking process and season it all the way through.

After 20 minutes remove the fish from the brine and rinse under cold water for 20 seconds. Pat dry.

Seal the fish and the oil in a vacuum seal bag and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

For the Potatoes

Set an immersion circulator in a water bath to 185F.

Combine the Saffron, wine and water in a sauce pot and place on high heat.

When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes to infuse.

While the Saffron liquid is infusing, peel the potatoes and cut to 1cm dice.

Seal the potatoes with the saffron liquid in a vacuum seal bag. The potatoes should be able to lay flat in a single layer. You may need more than 1 bag depending on the size.

Drop the potatoes in the water bath and once the water comes back up to 185F start a 35 minute timer.

Pull the potatoes out of the water after 35 minutes. While still in the bay, test the doneness by crushing a single potato piece. You should be able to crush them easily between a thumb and finger.

If they are a bit hard cook for another 10 minutes and test again.

Once cooked, chill in an ice bath until ready to serve.

Alternatively for the Potatoes:

If you do not have an immersion circulator, after the saffron bath has infused and the potatoes are diced, combine the potatoes and saffron broth in a heavy bottom sauce pot.

Over medium low, heat very slowly to bring the potatoes to a simmer.

When the water starts to simmer reduce the heat until there are only a very tiny amount of movement on the surface of the water.

If the water simmers at this point the potatoes will fall apart.

When the water is just right, cook for 30 minutes then check a piece of potato to see if it’s done (as above).

For the Parsley Pesto

Remove the thick parts of the stems from the parsley. (Keep for future broths.)

Crush the garlic.

Zest the lemon.

Combine Parsley, Parmesan, walnuts, garlic, lemon zest and salt to a food processor.

Pulse for 6 or 7 times until the leaves start to break up and mix with the rest of the ingredients. You may need to push the leaves down a bit between pulses depending on your processor.

Cut the lemon in half and juice it through a strainer and into the mixture.

Pulse the mixture a few more times until the begins to look like wet sand.

Stream in the EVOO while pulsing a few more times. We like ours to be a bit chunky to add some texture to the dish but pulse until your personal desired smoothness.

Transfer pesto to a container and lay a plastic wrap directly on the pesto. This will keep it a vibrant green for longer.

Can be stored for up to 3 days.

For the Squid Ink Tuile

Set a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and allow it to warm up.

While the pan is heating up, combine all ingredients in a measuring cup that can hold about 4 times the amount of liquid.

With an immersion blender, puree the mixture together until all ingredients emulsify together.

If you don’t have an immersion blender you can whisk the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Once the mixture is combined thoroughly together, split the liquid into 2 135g portions.

One at a time, cook the mixture in the frying pan for 10 to 12 minutes.

The water will boil off while the oil fries the flour leaving a coral-like tuile.

Cook until all the water is gone and you can move the whole tuile with a spatula. If any part is not fried fully it might fall apart when you take it out of the pan.

When the tuile is fully cooked remove it from the pan and store on a paper towel until ready to use.

To Finish

Set an immersion circulator in a water bath to 145F.

When it is up to temperature drop the Steelhead in to cook for 20 minutes.

During that time put a pan on medium high heat to warm up.

Clean the outer leaves off the Endive. Quarter it lengthwise and toss with a pinch of salt.

With a peeler, clean the stringy parts off the celery then cut into bite-sized pieces.

When the pan is hot add the oil and butter.

Sear the endive for 2 to 3 minutes, just long enough to get it golden brown.

Add the Saffron Potatoes, celery and Apple Juice and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.

Split the vegetables between 4 plates.

Drain the fish on a wire rack then carefully put the fish on top of the vegetables.

Spoon some of the Parsley Pesto over the fish.

Top with Squid Ink Tuile.