Beetroot and goats cheese mousse with smoked trout ribbons

This starter really does smack you in the face with colour as well as flavour. The beauty of this starter is the simplicity in its preparation in relation to the impressive looks you will receive from your dinner party guests. It is also a make ahead so the smooth transition from cook to host will be a seamless one.

Beetroot & goats cheese mousse, smoked trout, potato crisp, pickled beetroot and pea shoots – serves 6

Beetroot mousse

8g powdered gelatine

15ml water

400g cream cheese

200g goats cheese

150g beetroot, cooked and pureed

200g smoked trout ribbons

Potato crisp

120g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2mm thick ribbons

Sea salt  

Pickled beetroot

120g thinly sliced beetroot

100ml vinegar

15ml sugar

5ml salt 

Method

Beetroot mousse

• Mix together cream cheese and goats cheese, stir until smooth and it contains no lumps

• Place gelatine and water together in a small heatproof bowl, once it is nice and spongey, melt the mixture gently

• Fold the beetroot into the cream cheese mix

• Divide the mousse into 6 moulds ( steel rings work best)

Potato crisp

• Heat oil to 180 degrees

• Fry potatoes until crisp, season with sea salt 

Pickled beetroot

• Place vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot

• Heat the mixture on medium heat until the sugar and salt has dissolved

• Pour over the beetroot ribbons

• Leave to pickle for at least an hour 

Plating 

Place beetroot mousse in the centre of the plate

Divide the trout and place delicately on top of each mousse ring, cut the ribbons a bit finer if they are too thick or wide 

On the right side of the mousse plate potato crisp and beetroot in a linear line, you want to have one or two potato crisps, followed by a ribbon of beetroot below it and follow this pattern next to the beetroot mousse