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1
Puree the tomatoes, onions, vinegar and oil together in a blender.
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2
If necessary do so in batches.
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3
Pour the puree into a large sauce pot.
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4
Add in the remaining ingredients and bring the mix to a boil.
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5
Reduce the heat and let the mix simmer and reduce in volume.
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6
Continue simmering till it has cooked down by three-quarters.
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7
This may take an hour or possibly more, stir frequently so which the mix doesn't scorch on the bottom.
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8
Remove the bay leaves and puree again in a blender till very smooth.
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9
Pour into a squeeze bottle and reserve for garnishing the plate.
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10
Any extra ketchup will keep for several weeks in your refrigerator.
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11
The Roast Potato Salad:Render the minced bacon.
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12
Place it with the water in a pan and bring to a simmer.
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13
Continue simmering till the water evaporates and the bacon begins to crisp.
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14
When it is fully crisp, strain off the fat into a roasting pan.
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15
Reserve the crisp bacon.
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16
Add in the cut potatoes and the onion slices to the bacon fat in the roasting pan.
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17
Toss them, coating them well with the fat.
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18
Place the pan in a preheated 400 degree oven and roast the potatoes till they are golden.
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19
This will take about half an hour, every few min stir the potatoes so they cook proportionately.
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20
Mix the vinegar, sugar and mustard together.
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21
When the potatoes are done toss them with the vinegar dressing, the crisp bacon and the parsley.
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22
Season them to taste with salt and freshly grnd pepper.
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23
If you prefer the salad may rest and cold to room temperature before you serve it.
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24
The Pickled Rhubarb:Combine the vinegar, sugar and star anise in a sauce pot.
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25
Bring the mix to a simmer.
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26
When you are ready to plate add in the rhubarb pcs to the vinegar syrup and let them simmer till soft.
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27
This will take one to two min.
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28
Serve immediately.
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29
The Trout:Filet the trout by first removing the head then the two filets.
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30
Trim off the belly bones of each filet.
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31
Don't remove the skin.
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32
Smoke the trout filets by fashioning a smoker as follows: Soak a large handful of hard-wood chips in water for a few min.
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33
Take two pans of equal size and invert one over the other with a screen in between.
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34
Place the wood chips in the bottom pan and place the assembly over a medium flame till the wood chips begin to smoke.
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35
Place the trout filets on the screen and smoke for sixty seconds.
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36
Make sure you have good ventilation or possibly do this outdoors, it will generate a lot of smoke.
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37
Season the cornmeal with salt and pepper.
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38
Dredge the skin of the trout filets in the cornmeal by pressing them lightly into the mix, skin side down.
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39
Heat some butter in a cast iron skillet or possibly saute/fry pan over a medium flame.
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40
When it begins to foam add in the trout filets, skin side down, and pan fry them till they are done.
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41
This will take 3-4 min per side.
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42
Serve immediately.
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43
The Plate:Make the potato salad in advance.
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44
At the last minute toss it with the bacon, dressing and parsley.
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45
Start cooking the trout filets, as they cook begin poaching the rhubarb.
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46
On a warm dinner plate squeeze some of the ketchup.
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47
Add in a pile of the potato salad then a filet of trout, cut in half, one piece on top of the other.
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48
Arrange the trout so which the bottom piece's skin faces down and the top piece's skin faces up.
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49
Add in some just poached rhubarb and garnish with a parsley sprig.
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50
Serve with a flourish.
