fennel, pear and smoked trout salad

Summer is fading quickly - if there ever really was one. 

So, while we are having a burst of sunny warm days I wanted to share an easy summery salad with you.

My local fish monger knows that I'll get at least one or two of these smoked trouts a week, but for the past few weeks he hasn't been able to get his hands on any.

When I tottered in to see him the other day, my eyes scanned the stock and voila! Smoked trout!

I praised him, grabbed two and headed off.

This smoked trout salad became a bit of a staple for us over the warmer months.

The simple flavours of the aniseedy fennel mixed with the sweet pear and smokey trout, work in such great harmony. 

It will only take a couple of minutes to knock together and will 'wow' any guest. Or, paired with a chilled glass of white, will have you enjoying the last of the warm weather.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

1 medium smoked trout

1 fennel bulb, shaved and soaked

1 pear, shaved

some salad greens to garnish

small handful of walnuts (per serve)

a large pinch of nigella seeds (per serve)

1 lime

Arrange your salad greens on a plate (I've used roquet and mizuna freshly picked from my garden).

Toss fennel and pear together in a bowl then arrange on top of greens.

Peel back the tough trout skin and pull away the flesh from the bones - I use my fingers but a fork would work too.

Arrange on top of fennel and pear.

Sprinkle over nuts and nigella seeds and drizzle with lime.

Serve.

xo