Smoked Trout Rissoni

Today I'm celebrating 'almost a month of being back in Australia Day'.

I've stocked our temporary mini-kitchen with the basics although I am finding it tough to cook like I used to. I'm feeling rather lost without my pots and pans and my exhaustive selection of herbs and spices.

All these items, minus the herbs and spices due to Australia's stringent customs laws, are neatly packed away in boxes sailing across the Pacific Ocean. They're due to arrive in another two weeks providing they haven't been lost, fallen overboard or mistakenly shipped to Patagonia. Apparently these things happen.

In the meantime, I'm surviving very well on simple meals. I'm living next door to a constant source of inspiration, who recently served me a mouthwatering meal of grilled salmon and spinach rissoni with Greek feta melted through it. Gorgeous.

I made the dish today, this time substituting salmon with smoked trout. I also added some fresh basil, dill and lemon juice. To better achieve the desired effect of warm, stringy, melted cheese, I use cow's milk feta for its extra creamy consistency.

In comparison to Canadian smoked fish, Australian smoking methods seem to produce a milder and more subtle effect.

The simple combination of feta, spinach and smoked trout was so complementary that threw them into my scrambled eggs the next morning. It was one of the best breakfasts I've had in ages.

Smoked Trout & Spinach Rissoni
(Serves 2)

Rissoni pasta for 2
1 tsp sea salt for pasta water
2 cups of smoked trout chunks (or 2 fillets of salmon)
4 cups of baby spinach, washed
2 Tbsp of roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp of roughly chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup of crumbled cow's milk feta
Juice from 1/4 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Method if you're using smoked trout:

1. Place the baby spinach in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water. Cover and gently heat over a medium-high heat. Poach spinach for about 2 minutes or until it just wilts. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside.
2. Cook rissoni pasta according to packet instructions in a pot of boiling, salted water. 
3. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta.
4. Place pasta along with smoked trout, wilted spinach and feta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Next, add the fresh herbs and season pasta with a little salt and pepper.
5. Serve immediately.

Method if you're using fresh salmon:

1. Heat 1/2 Tbs of olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Once the oil starts to swirl, place the salmon skin-side down and fry for 2 minutes. Turn the salmon over and fry the other side for about 2 minutes. Turn the salmon again and fry until the salmon is cooked through - about another 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Once the salmon is cooled, shred it into large chunks with a fork.
2. Place the baby spinach in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water. Cover and gently heat over a medium-high heat. Poach spinach for about 2 minutes or until it just wilts. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside.
3. Cook rissoni pasta according to packet instructions in a pot of boiling, salted water. 
4. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta.
5. Place pasta along with salmon, wilted spinach and feta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Next, add the fresh herbs and season pasta with a little salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

Comments

[Manggy]

Looks amazing! I wish we could've seen a pic of the breakfast too :) I'm glad you seem to be adjusting well to being back! :)

[Simon Food Favourites]

looks delicious and healthy.
s :-)

[Julia]

This looks so simple and delicious. I'm glad you're settling back in well.

[Anna P]

Hey Syrie, I made this last night. It was fantastic. Thanks for the great recipe. It's definitely a keeper!

[RDEssex]

YUM!! I love smoked trout, spinach and feta -- this is the perfect recipe for me. Great blog by the way. Just discovered it in Tastespotting.

[lissie Kirby]

one of my favourite recipes! looks beautiful! x

[gine]

just discovered your blog, it's lovely and that dish looks so delicious :-)! XOXO

[Cynthia]

I too like to observe the subtleties in differences for the same ingredients in different countries. Always enlightening.

[vincent]

Bonjour !!! this is the springertime in the plate !!! it looks so good !!! kissss

[Sue]

Wow thanks for getting the taste buds going, that dish looks amazing. Hope you keeping well.

[Sophie]

I love this kind of lovely food!
Delicious, easy yet so healthy too!

[red ribbon bakery]

Looks healthy,especially the tuna.

-Ava

[Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella]

I love the look of this dish as I am a risoni fiend! Isn't it great how quick it is to cook too! :)

[RankPay]

Want to give this a try!