Hot-smoked trout on rye toasts

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients for the cure in a small bowl. Scatter a third of the cure onto a large platter or plate. Lay the fish fillet skin-side down on the cure, then scatter over the rest of the mixture. You’ll need to add more cure to the thicker areas of the fish. Leave the fillet to cure for 45 minutes (see Know How).
2. Rinse the cure off the fish, pat dry with kitchen paper and put on a clean plate. Leave the fish in the fridge, uncovered, until you’re ready to cook (see Make Ahead).
3. Meanwhile put the eggs in a small pan and cover with water. Set the pan over a high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 6½ minutes, drain and refresh under cold running water. Peel the eggs and set aside.
Recipe continues after advertising
Advertisement
4. For the mustard sauce, combine the crème fraîche, mustard, golden caster sugar and vinegar with a good twist of black pepper, a pinch of salt and the chopped dill. Mix well and set aside.
5. Light your barbecue and, when the flames have died back and you have some lovely hot coals glowing white, you’ll be ready to cook. Add a few small pieces of hardwood or hardwood chips to your fire so it begins to really smoke (see Know How).
6. Lay the fish flesh-side down over the smoky fire and cook for 6-8 minutes or until it’s almost cooked. If your barbecue has a lid, close it – it’ll help keep the smoke in and will mean you won’t need to turn the fish during cooking. If it doesn’t have a lid, turn the fish over and cook for a minute or so on the other side (or see tips for Gill’s method). The exact cooking time will depend on how hot the barbecue is and how far away the fish is from the heat. Either way, you can tell when the fish is cooked; the flakes of flesh will separate with the point of your knife.
   7 Toast the bread over the hot coals until it’s beginning to crisp round its edges. Arrange the toasts over a platter or board. Spread each toast with a little butter, then flake the fish over the top in chunks. Quarter the soft-boiled eggs and arrange over the fish. Cut the beetroot into wedges and arrange over the toasts too. Spoon over a few generous dots of the mustardy dressing and scatter over the remaining dill fronds. Season with a touch of salt and black pepper, then serve.