Trout cocktail boats

Method

1. Begin by curing the trout for 8-12 hours. Grind the fennel seeds and peppercorns with a pestle and mortar until fine, then add the salt and grind a little until coarse. Stir in the smoked paprika, sugar and citrus zests.
2. Sprinkle a third of the mixture into your dish and spread out to the shape and size of your trout, then lay the fish skin-side down on top and sprinkle over the rest of the cure. Pat down to cover the whole thing, then cover (I use a chopping board) and put in the fridge for 8-12 hours. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavour will be.
3. Once cured, run the fish under cold water to wash off the cure. Slice off and discard the skin, then dice the trout into roughly 1cm cubes. The edge slices may be a little too salty, so taste first and remove if necessary. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top before serving.
4. Trim the little gem leaves and put in a bowl of iced water to crisp them up into stronger vessels for the filling. Make the marie rose sauce by mixing the mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, then taste and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Dice the avocados into 5mm cubes.
5. To assemble, spoon a little avocado into the bottom of each lettuce cup, followed by a spoonful of cured trout, then dollop a spoonful of sauce over the top. Finish with a crack of black pepper, a pinch of smoked paprika and a dill frond.