List of Ingredients
- rainbow trout
- 1 C. of black "Beluga" lentils or split lentils
- 2 of whole fennel bulbs
- Parsley
- Fresh cilantro
- Pork casings for sausages (about 1 yard)
- Wild fennel seeds
- Extravirgin olive oil
- Salt
Method
Coarsely chop the fennel without trimming it. Place the pieces in a saucepan with 2-3 cups of lightly salted hot water flavored with a teaspoon of fennel seeds and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add a sprig of cilantro. Strain the broth and keep it warm. Boil the lentils in lightly salted water over medium heat for 20 minutes: they must remain a bit al dente. Remove from heat, add a teaspoon of salt and let the lentils cool in their cooking water.
Chop the trout with half a teaspoon of fennel seeds, a sprig of parsley and a pinch of salt. Use a knife to repeatedly chop the fish until it becomes almost creamy. Season to taste with salt, pepper, spices and chopped herbs, stirring well so the flavors are evenly distributed. Put this mixture into a pastry bag with a smooth tip. Slide the casing onto the nozzle at least 1 1/2-2 inches so that you have extra casing to tie the “sausage” up with.
Fill the casing with the mixture. Remove the casing from the pastry bag and close it tightly with a piece of kitchen string. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed within the casing and split it into sausages about 4 inches each. Tie up each sausage at the beginning and end and leave a portion of casing free between one and the other, ensuring that the sausages won’t open when you separate them.
After having perforated the casing, sauté the sausages in a pan with a little oil for a few minutes per side. They should remain pink inside and not overcooked; otherwise they will become dry and stringy. Place the lentils in a dish, add the sausages and finish with the hot fennel broth. Decorate as desired with chervil.