Highland trout encocado with golden mashua and warm chochos salad

Instructions

1. 1

   1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the mashua on a baking tray and toss with the vegetable oil, sweet paprika, 3 g salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, turning halfway through, until golden outside and tender inside.

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   2. Meanwhile, pat the trout fillets dry and season them with 2 g salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Let them rest for 10 minutes.

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   3. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the achiote oil over medium heat. Sear the trout for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second side, just until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate to finish cooking later in the sauce.

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   4. In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of achiote oil. Sauté the garlic, half of the red onion, and the red bell pepper for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant and softened. Stir in the ground cumin and half of the cilantro, and cook for 30 seconds more.

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   5. Pour in the coconut milk and add the ground roasted peanuts. Mix well and gradually add the fish stock or water until you get a creamy but pourable sauce. Season with 2 g salt and, if desired, the panela syrup. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring so the peanuts do not stick.

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   6. Return the trout fillets to the skillet, spoon some sauce over them, and cook gently for 4 to 6 minutes over low heat, until the fish is cooked through but still juicy. Adjust with the remaining salt if needed.

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   7. For the warm salad, place the cooked chochos in a bowl. Toss with the remaining red onion, tomato, vinegar, fresh oregano, and the remaining cilantro. If you want it just warm, heat it for 1 minute in a clean skillet over low heat, only to take the chill off without breaking down the tomato.

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   8. Serve a portion of roasted mashua on each plate, place a trout fillet on top or alongside with plenty of coconut-peanut sauce, and finish with the warm chochos salad.

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   9. For a deeper finish, let the plated dish rest for 2 minutes before serving so the trout can better absorb the achiote, coconut, and cilantro aromas.