Blessings of the Fancy Pan Troutza

Blessings of the Fancy Pan Troutza

- by Deirdre Hughes

Back by popular demand, and in the name of all recipes that are easy peasy, I bring you another version of the Cackleberry Meatza! I chose to share another version of this recipe as it might be something really lovely to whip up for brekky on Mother’s Day.

Of all the Cackleberry Meatza’s I’ve played around with, this version is my favey. At first glance you would think the hero of the dish is indeed the cackleberries or the smoked trout. But in my opinion, the “fish” de resistance is the caviar. Garnishing the Troutza with a sprinkling of this stuff not only makes it look gourmet and pretty, but it offers your senses salty explosions of heaven with every bite. The flavour alone makes for an almost out of body experience. 

I call this recipe: Blessings of The Fancy Pan Troutza. 

So. Let’s get fancy!

What you need: 

A medium sized bowl and whisk.

An easy to bend style silicone spatula.

A big, oven proof, non stick, fry pan .

A pizza serving board (ie a round cutting board - or a large enough regular cutting board).

A pizza cutter.

A hunger that could salivate for Australia.

Ingredients: 

Two cans of John West’s Natural Smoked Trout Fillets (we get ours from Woolies supermarkets). 

(I love using this version of their canned fish as it doesn’t contain any seed oils or other additives. Just water and salt. That’s it. If you prefer, you can certainly use your favourite fresh, chopped white fish fillets, or hot smoked salmon will also do the trick. The reason I use the cans is they’re always a pantry staple - close at hand. On days when I don't have the time to grocery shop, the canned trout comes to the rescue!).  

1 teaspoon Yarra Valley Atlantic Salmon Caviar. Not cheap. But oh so worth it***. 

1 heaped tablespoon of  grass fed salted butter.

8 cackleberries (eggs) whisked (free range organic pasture raised if you can).

Quality salt and cracked pepper.

1 teaspoon of fresh herbs of your choice. (I often use fresh lemon thyme).

How to:

Preheat your grill to a medium to high temperature.

Whisk the cackleberries (eggs) and combine through some of the fresh thyme leaves. Then set the bowl aside.

On a medium to high heat melt the butter in a pan. 

Whilst the butter is melting open the trout cans and drain the excess fluid. (If you have a pet cat(s) serve this on a saucer… they really love it!).

Then add the trout from both cans into the melted butter. Using a wooden spoon gently break up the trout into smaller chunks. Add some salt and pepper and stir it through. 

Once heated through spread the trout pieces evenly around the pan in one layer.

Now, gently and evenly, pour the whisked eggs and herbs all over the trout, ensuring the egg mix has covered the pan’s base. No need to stir anything here. Just let the poured eggs cook for a bit on the stove top - 2 to 4 mins should do it.

Turn off the heat at the stove top. Place the pan under the grill to finish off cooking. This should only take another 2 minutes. You’ll know it’s cooked through as the surface will be “baked” - kinda pillowy and puffy - with no trace of runny raw egg. 

Using the silicone spatula, gently wedge it between the Troutza and the pan, working your way around the pan, ensuring it is completely free from the pan's base before sliding it onto the cutting board. If it's a quality non stick pan this shouldn’t be necessary - but you never know!

Now, with a bit of gentle jiggling, the Troutza should easily slide off the pan directly onto the cutting board. 

Sprinkle generously with goat’s cheese. Add a heaped teaspoon of the caviar. And to finish it off a little garnishing with the lemon thyme leaves. 

*** The Yarra Valley Caviar (Atlantic salmon) is available from some delis or possibly your local fishmonger. Their website has information on where you can source it. You can see their stockists here:

https://www.yarravalleycaviar.com.au/where-to-buy/

I'd love to know if you give this meatza a crack. Let me know how you go! 

Thank you so much for reading this. It is very much appreciated.