Smoked trout pot with Guinness and treacle bread

SERVES

Four to six

INGREDIENTS

For the trout pots

• 2 smoked trout fillets (250g)
• 125g crème fraîche
• 1 tsp creamed horseradish
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped dill
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the watercress salad

• 2 Granny Smith apples, sliced
• 150g watercress

For the dressing

• 60ml olive oil
• 20ml cider vinegar
• 1 tsp grainy mustard
• Pinch sugar, or honey
• Pinch salt and pepper

For the Guinness bread (Makes 1 x 900g loaf)

• 125g strong white flour
• 1 rounded tbsp bread soda
• 1 rounded tsp salt
• 450g extra coarse wholemeal flour
• 200ml buttermilk
• 100g treacle (molasses may be used instead of treacle for an even sweeter flavour)
• 100ml Guinness
• 15g porridge oats

METHOD

• First make the trout. Using your hands, gently flake the trout fillets into a bowl and fold in the crème fraîche and horseradish.

• Add the lemon juice and some freshly ground black pepper to taste and stir in the chopped dill. Spoon into four small kilner jars or six mall ramekins. Cover with cling film, and refrigerate for one hour before serving. These trout pots keep well in the fridge for four to five days.

• To make the watercress salad, mix the apple slices and watercress springs in a bowl and lightly dress with a couple of teaspoons of the dressing.
• Combine the dressing ingredients in a jam jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well to mix. Season to taste.

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/Gas 6. Line the loaf tin with baking parchment.

• In a large bowl, sieve the strong flour, bread soda and salt. Mix in the wholemeal flour. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk, treacle and Guinness.

• Mix gently with a wooden spoon or your fingers. Pour the mix into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the porridge oats.

• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes or until the bread has risen, then reduce to 170C/Gas 5, and cook for a further 35 minutes.

• Finally, remove the bread from the tin and return for a final five minutes by which stage it should sound hollow when tapped on its underside.

• To serve, place a ramekin on each plate with a little watercress salad and a slice of bread. This bread is also delicious served with a good sharp mature cheddar cheese and some home-made pickle or chutney.