In my kitchen

FRANCES Atkins’ recipe for cured sea trout, crab, melon, artichoke, preserved lemon, pea sprout.

Here’s a delicious recipe which once assembled offers a superb combination of textures and flavours.

Ingredients for the cured sea trout:

1 fillet sea trout

35g salt

20g sugar

½ shallot finely chopped

1 lemon zest

20g dill

1 crushed juniper berry

4 crushed white pepper corns

Ingredients for the topping mixture:

Desert spoon of English mustard

½ teaspoon of sugar

Tablespoon of chopped dill

Method: Pin, bone and score fish. Mix the cured sea trout ingredients together and rub into the fish. Wrap tightly in cling film and press. Leave overnight, turn the next day and on day three, rinse off lightly. Dry the fish well and spread topping mixture thinly over flesh side and pack on the chopped dill. Wrap in cling film until ready to slice.

For the crab:

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Take 200g per portion of cooked white crab meat and mix with mayonnaise, chopped chives, grated nutmeg, lemon zest to taste.

For the Artichoke and Melon:

Take 1 cooked globe or violet artichoke. Slice and put into vinaigrette. Take an Ogen Melon or one of your choice, cut into large dice.

For the preserved lemon and pea sprout:

Take one lemon, boil in salted water until soft (approx 10 minutes). Cool, cut into quarters, dispense with the flesh and pith. Sprinkle a little sugar and salt, semi-dry. Cut into thin strips. Mix with a handful of pea sprouts (the curly tops of pea plants).

Vinaigrette Dressing:

100ml olive oil vinegar

50ml white wine vinegar

1teasp honey

1teasp mustard

A little sugar

Mix together

To assemble the salad you will need a small carton (50g) of crème fraîche and a jar of mini capers. Place the thinly sliced sea trout on the base of the plate.

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Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl with vinaigrette dressing and build. Finish with crème fraîche and capers for garnish.

Christine Austin recommends: With its light spicy note and rounded melon flavours, Hugel Gentil 2009 (£9.99 Rhythm and Booze, selected branches) is perfect with all kinds of fish, especially where crab is a strong influence. Alternatively, try Mc Henry Hohnen 3 Amigos (£12.99 Flourish and Prosper, 01430 430006) for its honeysuckle and quince flavours.