Tea Smoked Trout with Saffron Parsnip Dip

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenTea Smoked Trout with Saffron Parsnip Dip

Skill Level	Intermediate

Preparation Time	10 minutes	Total Time	40 minutes
Servings	8	Cost Per Serving	$1.56

1 (1 to 1 1/2 pound)	Trout Filet
1/4 cup	Tea Leaves (use your favorite tea, black teas work best)
1/4 cup	Rice (long or short grain)
2 tsp	Lemon Zest
1/2 tsp	Sea Salt

Parsnip puree dip

2 cups	Parsnip, diced
2 cloves	Garlic
Pinch (1/4 tsp)	Saffron
1 tbsp	Lemon Juice
4 sprigs	Thyme
1 1/2 tbsp	Olive Oil
3 tbsp	Plain Yogurt
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Mix your tea leaves and rice and place it in a piece of foil. Fold the foil edges over to make a package and poke to holes in the top. (you may want to turn on your stove vent fan before starting)
Place the foil package in a deep saute pan or small roasting tray. Put the pan over high heat on the stove top. Once you start to see smoke, place your fish inside, turn off the heat and cover with a lid or aluminum foil and let the fish smoke and cook for about 20 minutes.If the fish isn't cooked all the way through you can transfer it to a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes. The fish should flake easily once it’s cooked fully.
For the parsnips, place a medium sauce pot of over medium heat. Add olive oil, once hot enough add garlic cloves and thyme sprigs, let it cook about 3 minutes until lightly golden.
Add your parsnips, and pour in enough water just to cover. Bring the liquid up to a boil, add a pinch of saffron, cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium low. Cook about 15 to 20 minutes, just until soft.
Drain the cooked parsnips, and reserve about ¼ cup of the liquid. Add to a food processor with your remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Serve the puree with your flaked trout on some rye toasts or whole grain crackers.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for tea smoked trout with saffron parsnip dip

Smoked fish and meat contain nitrates and nitrites, compounds which may increase the risk of stomach cancer. These foods are also very high in salt. A 3 ounce serving (the size of a deck of cards) of smoked salmon contains more than a third of your daily sodium limit. Getting too much sodium in your diet may raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of kidney disease and heart disease. This recipe shows you how to create the flavour of smoked fish without the nitrates, nitrites and is lower in sodium. Trout is also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower inflammation in the body.
Parsnips are a good source of folate, a B vitamin. Low levels of folate in the blood are linked to a higher risk of some types of cancer. One cup of parsnips has over 6 grams of fibre, making them an excellent source of this important nutrient.