The Day Mungo Had a Fish Braai on the West Coast – using a Spotted Mountain Trout

When you think West Coast fish braai you’re probably thinking of the definitive snoek braai with apricot jam, served up with warm roosterkoeks, against the backdrop of crashing waves and cawing gulls. At least that’s what we had in mind when we planned lunch for a recent shoot at a surf shack in Elands Bay. The snoek braai might have failed but the Atlantic backdrop… we nailed!

When Pick ‘n Pay’s fishmonger runs out of snoek (or any good-looking line-fish for that matter) on the morning of the shoot, you have to improvise a bit. How about stuffed spotted mountain trout, served up with a creme fraiche and dill baby potato salad?

Sometimes it’s precisely these moments that allow you to serendipitously discover a pretty good recipe. So good that we thought we’d share it with you!

What You Will Need

Stuffed Mountain Trout

Ingredients

Gluten free ∙ Serves 4

• 1 large spotted mountain trout, butterfly gutted for easy stuffing
• Tin foil
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning
• Lemons and limes, sliced and halved
• 1 Medium red onion, thinly sliced
• Dill, chopped
• Yellow and Red Peppers, sliced
• Garlic, chopped

 

Method

Step 1

Lay your fish in the centre of a large sheet of tin foil and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, and prepare all your stuffing ingredients.

Step 2

Roughly stuff the gutted trout with a few rounds of sliced lime, chopped dill, peppers, garlic, and onion. Throw everything that’s left on top of the trout. Squeeze a lemon over the trout and add a little more oil. Keep some extra kitchen cloths, like the Vadoek, in reach to wipe down any stray drops of lemon juice.

Step 3

Fold the foil into a tight parcel around your fish. You want it to be well sealed so that the fish steams inside.

Step 4

Fasten your Man Cloth and prepare your fire (bonus if it’s made in West Coast sand). Once hot, place your tin foil trout parcel on top of a griddle. Check the trout after about 15 minutes to see if it flakes easily and is cooked inside.

Potato Salad with Creme Fraiche and Dill

Ingredients

• Boiled baby potatoes
• 1 tub of creme fraiche
• A few dollops of good quality mayo (i.e. Hellman’s)
• Squeeze of lemon
• Dill, finely chopped
• A  small handful of chives
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Micro herbs for garnishing

 

Method

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix your creme fraiche, mayo, lemon, finely chopped dill, garlic and chives. If your dressing is too thick, add a dash of water.

Step 2

Halve your potatoes and add them to your dressing. Toss well so that each potato is nicely coated. Sprinkle your micro herbs on top. Voila. Best potato salad!

Table Setting

We recommend the Provincial Stripe tablecloth in Wild Sage for something crisp, bright and fresh. Alternatively a Mungo Mali Table Runner in Rolled Sand adds an element of  bold design and festiveness to the table.

Pair up with a set of multicoloured linen Selvedge Serviettes, which always make for a great holiday table setting. The quirky idea for this range came from a family trip, where laundry was not a high priority and serviettes were reused for a few days in a row. This way, assigning each family member a colour, no cross contamination and confusion could arise over whose serviette was whose.