Here is a recipe with ingredients acquired in a stop at Trader Joes and on the table in half an hour. Smoked trout, a lemony onion dressing and creamy avocado combine for a great meal. A good loaf of bread is key and in this case we didn’t source that from TJs, but rather Sparrow Bakery. Your favorite hearty bread will work … you could try the baguettes from TJs.
The recipe was taken off the Food52 web site. I think those folks are working for Trader Joes because often their recipes, right down to the quantity, match what you’ll find on TJ’s shelves. You can use any canned meat but smoked trout is best and ironically that is the only place we could find it. Include the oil from the can as it enhances the flavor but doesn’t make the salad too oily.
Along with a baguette from Sparrow, there’s one other alteration. We don’t broil the bread or serve the salad on toast, we prefer the toast is on the side. Be sure you allow the lemon and shallot mix to macerate for the full 20 minutes.
Smoked Trout and Avocado Salad Toasts
Ingredients
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp olive oil in small bowl
- 3 heads Belgian endive one pkg Trader Joes
- 4 oz Smoke Trout 1 3.7oz tin from Trader Joes
- 2 scallions finely sliced
- 1/2 avocado firm but ripe
- 1/8 cup fresh parsley finely minced
- 4 1 inch slices of bread
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler to high. Finely mince the shallot and place in a small bowl. Cover with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. (I like to add a pinch of sugar, too.) Set aside to macerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Use a fork to whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Meanwhile, quarter the heads of endive through the core, then finely slice crosswise. Place in a large bowl. Scatter the scallions over top. Break the smoked trout into large pieces over top. Pour the dressing over top, and use your hands to gently toss everything together, keeping the trout in largish pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—now is the time to correct for seasoning because once the avocado is in, you don’t want to toss too much or it will all turn to mush.
- Dice the avocado, and add to the bowl followed by the parsley. Toss with your hands again gently until combined. Set salad aside.
- Arrange bread on cooling rack set on sheet pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Broil 2 minutes or until lightly golden, keeping a close watch. Remove pan from oven, flip slices of bread over, drizzle with more oil, and return pan to the oven for another 2 minutes, or until bread is golden. Transfer toasts to a platter. Mound trout and avocado salad over top. Serve immediately.
One sunny afternoon last week we headed over to the Nature Center at Sunriver Resort.
It’s a relatively easy hike, taking off from a wayside East of Madras on Highway 26. There are a couple of observation points to get a look at migratory bird habitat and some great vistas of the Cascade Peaks. The first half of the trail is even paved.
Dogs in general and border collies specifically thrive on routine.
