We used to mark the changing of the seasons by falling leaves and dropping temperatures. Now in addition to these signs, we note the arrival of Steve Stallard's handcrafted roes. The first of the season is always wild brook trout. Ours arrived the other day and we took some time to work out the first dish. We usually pair ice cream with Steve's roes. In fact, this is the first roe-centric dish that we have created without ice cream in longer than we can remember. The seasonally available ingredients and the delicate flavor of the roe set the structure for the dish.
We made a white chocolate sheet flavored with nutmeg and cumin. This flexible white chocolate gracefully puddles and bends creating nooks and crannies to cradle both the roe and the garnishes: crab applesauce and parsley puree. The dish is clean and bright, the sweet and savory white chocolate being a fine vehicle for the roe, with the applesauce adding a balanced tartness and the parsley a clean herbal note to round things out.
