Salmon Ballontine, Pickering Watercress, Herb Fromage Frais

This month's recipe is for one of our most popular starters on the Piano Restaurant's menu.

Ballontine:

• 1 small salmon or wild sea trout
• 3 packs or herbs at 100g each: - Dill/Flat parlsey/Chervil
• 1 leaf bronze leaf gelatine or powdered

Fromage frais:

• 500 g fromage frais
• 50 g mixed herbs
• 1 lemon

• 1 bunch watercress

Take 2 sides of salmon from the same fish, ask your fishmonger to skin, pin bone and remove all bloodline and brown meat. Meanwhile soften a gelatine leaf or dissolve some gelatine powder in water as per manufacturer instructions to act as a glue to bond the fish sides together. Lay the fillets on top of each other head against tail end so a perfect cylinder shape is formed using the gelatine to bond together. Chop finely a good selection of mixed fresh herbs ( Dill, Chervil and Parsley) and pat all over and evenly on the salmon outer. Tightly roll this in clingfilm ensuring a nice even cylinder is formed and it is water tight. Now wrap this in a tea towel and using string tie the fish at both ends and a few times around the cylinder, you should end up with a nice even, firm parcel.

Poach this in lighlty simmering water for around 20 minutes to every 500g of total weight. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the water. When cool remove carefully and chill. To serve simply unwrap the ballontine from the tea towel and slice the salmon to what portion size you require placing a little seasoning on top of each slice.

Herb fromage Frais.

Using the fromage frais simply place in a tea towel mixed with chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. Suspend over a empty container so all the water seeps out firming up the mixture and chill.

To serve:  

Slice the salmon ballontine as directed and place in the centre of a plate. Place a spoon ful of fromage frais on the side and a nice salad of watercress next to it lightly dressed with olive oil. We use Watercress from traditional grower Eric Smith from Pickering in the restaurant but any good quality organic watercress will suffice.