Trout Mousse A Dish Suited To Any Occassion

You can talk all you want about the secrets of successful entertaining, but as far as I’m concerned, there’s only one: Get comfortable.

This is not to say that there aren’t tense moments. Of course there are; that’s how you know you’re alive. People who tell you they don’t feel a little adrenaline rush as they’re putting the finishing touches on the first course while the second bubbles merrily along on its way simply aren’t trying.

The trick is not to let the stress get to the point where you no longer enjoy what you’re doing - or, even worse, where your guests don’t. There is nothing more unpleasant than going to a dinner where the cook spends the entire meal alternating between white-knuckle tension and hysterical shrieking.

The way to avoid this is to be secure in what you’re doing. Unfortunately, that only comes with experience. Or, at least, so I’m told. After 10 or 15 years of regular hosting, I’m still waiting.

Seriously, the best trick to happy entertaining - the one that got me through my first couple of years - is to have one really bang-up dish you can count on. It won’t matter nearly as much if the fish dries out or the souffle doesn’t rise as long as you’ve got one sure home run on the menu.

To put it another way: You don’t want to build your dinner upon “pate sablee” if you’ve never made “pate sablee.” You need a rock on which to construct your menu, something you know will work, something everyone will love.

What you need is the culinary equivalent of a little black dress or good blue suit that can be dressed up or down as the occasion demands. For years, mine was this trout mousse recipe from Madeleine Kamman.

Why do I love it? Let me count the ways: Even the plainest supermarket fish counter almost always has trout, and it’s usually in pretty good shape and relatively inexpensive. The whole thing can be put together in a food processor. It can be served warm or at cool room temperature. It can be an appetizer or a main course. It can be accompanied by a whole array of sauces and garnishes, ranging from a simple green salad to a last-minute beurre blanc.

What’s more, despite its silky texture and delicate flavor, it’s a recipe that is nearly indestructible. You can make it in a giant souffle mold (though cooking time will be longer and unmolding it can be a trick) or in tiny ramekins.

The main thing to be careful of is to make sure everything is thoroughly chilled. In fact, when I make it, I put the trout puree - food processor bowl and all - right in the freezer for a half-hour. When cold, the protein strands from the fish will capture and hold the cream and butter in suspension more efficiently.

The mousse can be prepared ahead whether it is to be served hot or cold. If you’re planning to serve it cold, bake and let the ramekins cool to near room temperature, then refrigerate them. If you prefer it warm, seal the ramekins of raw mousse tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to put them in the oven.

For years, my standard dinner party appetizer was this mousse served with a green chili beurre blanc (don’t bother even trying this unless you’ve got access to fresh New Mexican green chilies). That’s a healthy dose of rich on rich.

For something lighter, you could serve it with a tomato concasse (finely minced tomatoes seasoned with a little garlic or shallot, basil and some olive oil and vinegar), or a simple green salad dressed with a vinaigrette.

Trout Mousse

1 pound boned, skinned trout

2 egg whites

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup half and half

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups very cold whipping cream

In food processor, puree fish, egg whites and egg yolk with half and half until smooth. (For perfectly smooth mousse, push puree through strainer into bowl set in larger bowl containing crushed ice.) Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Combine salt, pepper, nutmeg and butter in food processor and puree 15 seconds. Gradually add fish meat, processing to homogeneous consistency. Then add 1-1/2 cups of cream through feed tube. As soon as all cream has been absorbed, stop processor.

Remove mousse to bowl placed in ice. With large rubber spatula, fold remaining 1/2 cup cream into mousse. Refrigerate until ready to use, as long as 24 hours.

Pack puree into eight heavily buttered glass or ceramic ramekins. Place ramekins in large baking dish. Place baking dish on oven shelf and add boiling water to halfway up ramekins. Lay sheet of parchment paper over top and bake at 325 degrees until skewer inserted in center of ramekin comes out clean and feels burning hot to bottom lip, about 15 to 17 minutes.

When ready to serve, whether warm or at room temperature, carefully run thin knife around outside of mousse, place plate over top and invert with quick, forceful thrust. Garnish as desired.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 382 calories, 37 grams fat (87 percent fat calories), 610 mg sodium, 174 mg cholesterol, 2 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams protein.