This aromatic trout broth recipe blends flavours of the east with distinctly French techniques. Lemongrass, ginger and coriander flavour the creamy broth beautifully, which is finished with mussels for an extra hit of seaside flavour.
To begin, thoroughly scrub the mussels under cold running water and rinse well. Remove the beards by pulling them towards the wider part of the shell. If any of the mussels are open, tap them hard against a work surface. If they don’t close, discard them
Heat a large, deep saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil, shallot, lemongrass and ginger and fry for 2–3 minutes until just softened but not coloured
Turn the heat up higher, add the wine and cook until reduced by one third, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Add the mussels and half of the coriander leaves, cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes at the very most, shaking the pan occasionally until the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed
250ml of dry white wine, (not too acidic, i.e. an Alsace or Riesling)
Remove from the heat and strain the mussels into a colander over a bowl to reserve the hot stock. Leave the mussels to cool slightly before shelling them. Discard the shells
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While the mussels are cooling, add the trout to the hot stock and allow to poach in the residual heat for 4–5 minutes. After this time, carefully remove from the stock and arrange in the gratin dishes with the mussels on top
600g of trout fillet, large, skinned and diced into chunky pieces
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Place the dishes on a grill tray. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a measuring jug
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Preheat the grill to high. Pour 200ml mussel liquid into a sauté pan and add the stock and cream. Place over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes until reduced by half and thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with pepper to taste and add a little salt if necessary
Ladle the creamy broth over the mussels and trout in the gratin dishes, finish with some lemongrass stalks and heat gently under a grill or salamander before serving