Festive Smoked Trout & Cucumber Wreath

Friends of Rialheim, it’s the most wonderful time of the year - or so they say 😉 Recently, we teamed up with some of our incredible friends to celebrate the festive season in true Rialheim style.

Yolandi North from @azestylife whipped up this stunning Festive Smoked Trout & Cucumber Wreath, and we couldn’t resist sharing it with you!

Festive Smoked Trout & Cucumber Wreath, Serves 6-8

This gorgeous starter dish can be customised with many additional items like slices of avo, pickled red onion, shrimp and celery, so don’t feel limited to the ingredients listed here.

What is important though, is to have enough lemon on hand and to take your time to plate this beautiful wreath. I recommend using a round platter to present your creation like the Rialheim Rainbow Trout hand-painted platter, which has a 40cm diameter—perfect for this presentation.

I used micro greens and shoots from Woolworths, but feel free to use any micro greens or small salad leaves here – as long as they are fresh and have some shades of purple included too. This starter serves about 8 people, so I based the serving size on 50g of smoked trout per person. But I’ll never blame you if you decide to increase the amount of smoked trout substantially! One can never have enough smoked trout, right?

Ingredients

60g Woolworths petit herb leaf salad micro greens or other small greens

15g Woolworths petite crimson shoots

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

400g of smoked trout ribbons

½ tub (125g) Crème fraîche

2 lemons

½ bunch of fresh dill

1 large cucumber

3x radishes

30-50g capers, drained

To serve: malba toast 

Method

1. Prepare the Crème fraîche Dressing: In a bowl, combine the 125g of crème fraiche and the juice of half a lemon. Stir well to combine. Finely chop half of the fresh dill (reserve a few sprigs for garnish) and stir it into the Crème fraîche mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover and place into the fridge until needed.
2. Prepare the Vegetables: Turn ½ of the cucumber into ribbons with a speed peeler or mandolin. Roll the ribbons into little rolls. Cut the other half into 5-8mm thick slices and then use a small star shaped cookie cutter to cut out stars from each round. Thinly slice the radishes. Drain the capers well to remove excess brine. Rinse and dry the microgreens and crimson shoots gently.
3. Assemble the Wreath: On a large serving platter or a round tray, arrange your greens in a circular pattern, creating the base of your wreath. Cut the smoked trout into strips of about 8-10cm and roll into small roses. Arrange the cucumber rolls and stars, radish slices and trout roses onto the greens, alternating them for a colourful and crunchy effect.
4. Add the Crème Fraiche and Garnishes: Gently add spoonfuls of the dill-infused crème fraiche between trout and vegetables, being careful not to overwhelm the delicate presentation. Dot the wreath with capers. Cut 1 lemon into small wedges and use these to garnish the wreath.
5. Final Touches: Squeeze the remaining half of the lemon over the wreath for a burst of fresh citrus flavour just before serving. Add a light sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper over the top.
6. Serve immediately as a stunning appetizer or light main course along with some malba toast. Perfect for special occasions or festive gatherings!

More about Yolandi North (Friend of Rialheim)

Yolandi North, a Johannesburg-based content creator and recipe developer, has always had a passion for food, creativity, and storytelling. As a child, she was constantly planning the next big event, dreaming up recipes, setting the scene, and crafting pretend articles for her imaginary magazine or school newspaper.

Those magical childhood passions have since evolved into a career filled with food, beautifully designed spaces, and the stories that bring them to life. Explore Yolandi’s work at A Zesty Life or follow her on Instagram at @azestylife.