These savoury mini clafoutis combine gently sautéed leek and smoked trout in a light batter made with crème fraîche. Serve the individual little dishes warm as a starter.
Clafoutis is best known as a French dessert made with cherries, but the name also refers to the way fruit is baked in a thin batter. This savoury version is a modern take on the idea, not a traditional regional preparation. Eggs, milk, flour and crème fraîche come together in a batter that gently sets in the oven. The outside turns golden while the centre stays light and tender, with pieces of trout and leek tucked inside as a savoury filling.
Leek is the main flavour here. Cooking it gently in butter makes it soft and sweet, without browned, bitter edges. Cut the leek into thin half-rings and rinse it well: dirt easily gets trapped between the layers. Give the moisture in the pan time to evaporate before dividing the leek among the dishes. This helps prevent the batter from becoming watery. Leeks are available all year round; in the colder months, firm ones are often especially good for warm dishes.
Smoked trout adds a mild smoky flavour and saltiness, so go easy on the salt in the batter. Break the fish into large pieces so it remains recognisable after baking. Smoked mackerel works too, but has a stronger flavour; use a little less and taste carefully before adding salt. For a vegetarian version, you can leave out the fish and use, for example, sautéed mushrooms instead, though this will change the character of the dish.
Divide the filling among small, greased oven dishes and pour the batter in evenly. An oven dish about 10 centimetres in diameter makes four satisfying individual portions. Leave a little room at the top, as the batter rises while baking. Take the clafoutis out of the oven when the edges are golden and risen and the centre has just set; a slight wobble in the middle is fine. Baking for too long makes the egg base firmer and drier.
Serve them straight away, while the edges are still light, with a simple green salad or dressed leaves with a fresh vinaigrette. The acidity balances the richness of the cream, eggs and smoked fish. Place the dishes on heatproof plates and warn everyone that the edges are hot. A little finely chopped chives adds a fresh onion note, but is optional.
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Grease four small oven dishes about 10 cm in diameter with a little of the butter.
Cut the leek into thin half-rings and rinse thoroughly. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan over low to medium heat. Cook the leek with a pinch of pepper for 12–15 minutes, until soft and most of the moisture has evaporated. Leave to cool slightly.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and crème fraîche. Whisk in the flour until the batter is smooth. Season with the salt, a little pepper and the nutmeg.
Divide the leek among the dishes. Break the smoked trout into large pieces and distribute over the leek. Pour the batter evenly into the dishes, leaving a little room at the top.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 20–24 minutes, until the edges have risen and turned golden and the centre has just set. Sprinkle with the chives and serve warm.
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