Smoked Trout Salad with Hazelnuts

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch dry skillet for toasting
• •Small saucepan for pickling liquid
• •Salad spinner or clean kitchen towels for drying greens
• •Large wide serving bowl or individual plates

Instructions

1. 1

   Pickle the onions

   Separate the red onion slices into individual rings and place them in a small heatproof bowl. Combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, and fine sea salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Pour the hot liquid over the onion rings, pressing them down to submerge. Let them sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. The onions will soften and turn a vivid magenta as the acid works its way through the cell walls.

   These pickled onions keep refrigerated for two weeks. Make a double batch and use them on sandwiches, tacos, and grain bowls throughout the week.
2. 2

   Toast the hazelnuts

   Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan every thirty seconds or so. Listen for a faint crackling as the oils begin to release. After 6 to 8 minutes, the skins will darken and split, and your kitchen will fill with that unmistakable toasted nut fragrance. Transfer immediately to a clean dish towel. Fold the towel over the nuts and rub vigorously. Most of the papery skins will flake away. Don't worry about removing every last bit. Roughly chop the nuts into irregular pieces.

   The difference between perfectly toasted and burnt hazelnuts is about ninety seconds. Stay at the stove. Your nose will tell you when they're ready before your eyes do.
3. 3

   Make the horseradish cream

   Whisk together the crème fraîche, drained horseradish, and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Season with a pinch of fine salt. Taste it. The horseradish should announce itself without making you wince. If your prepared horseradish is particularly potent, start with one tablespoon and add more. If it's mild, you may want the full amount plus a touch more. This cream should have backbone.

   Fresh horseradish root, grated on a microplane, delivers superior heat and brightness. If you find it at the market, use about half the amount called for and taste as you go.
4. 4

   Prepare the greens

   Wash and thoroughly dry your bitter greens. This matters. Wet greens dilute your dressing and make everything soggy. Tear larger leaves into bite-sized pieces. Keep the watercress sprigs mostly intact. The textural contrast between the sturdy frisée, the slight bitterness of radicchio, and the peppery watercress creates interest that uniform greens cannot provide.

5. 5

   Flake the trout

   Using your fingers (the best tool for this job), gently break the smoked trout into large, rustic flakes. Work over a clean plate to catch any juices. Remove any errant bones as you go. You want pieces substantial enough to identify as fish, not a pile of shreds. The texture of properly flaked smoked trout should suggest the muscle fibers it once was.

6. 6

   Dress and assemble

   Place the greens in a large, wide bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Toss gently with your hands, coating every leaf with a thin film of oil. This light dressing allows the other components to shine. Arrange the dressed greens on individual plates or one large platter. Scatter the trout flakes over and around the greens. Lift the pickled onions from their liquid with a fork and distribute them in ribbons across the salad.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Dollop the horseradish cream in several spoonfuls across each portion, or drag it artfully across the plate with the back of a spoon. Scatter the toasted hazelnuts generously. Finish with the minced chives and dill, a few flakes of finishing salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately while the greens still have their structure and the hazelnuts retain their crunch.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out trout smoked over alder wood if you can find it. Alder is the traditional smoking wood of the Pacific Northwest, imparting a delicate, slightly sweet smoke that complements the fish without overwhelming it. Applewood and cherry are worthy alternatives.
• •Oregon's Willamette Valley produces the majority of America's hazelnuts. Look for them at farmers markets in fall when they're freshest. The flavor difference between fresh-crop hazelnuts and those that have sat in warehouse storage for a year is significant.
• •This salad pairs beautifully with a crisp Grüner Veltliner or an Oregon Pinot Gris. The wine's acidity mirrors the pickled onions while its body stands up to the rich fish. A dry hard cider from the region also works exceptionally well.
• •If smoked trout proves difficult to source, hot-smoked salmon (the flaky kind, not lox) substitutes admirably. The salad becomes richer, more assertive. Adjust the horseradish cream to match.

Advance Preparation

• •Pickled onions can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in their liquid, refrigerated.
• •Hazelnuts can be toasted, skinned, and chopped up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• •Horseradish cream holds refrigerated for up to 4 days. The horseradish will mellow slightly over time.
• •Greens can be washed, dried, and stored wrapped in paper towels inside a plastic bag for up to 2 days.
• •Assemble the salad only just before serving. The greens will wilt and the hazelnuts will soften if it sits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 305g)