Mustard-Rutabaga Soup with Tarragon Flavoured Rainbow Trout Balls

I have almost completly forgotten about that lonely rutabaga in the fridge. If you haven't had them yet, then I would suggest to go for a puree with fish. In our family it was one of the winner dishes during the holiday season. Anyway, this soup was inspired by an old favourite combination: fish with tarragon and mustard. As far as the mustard is concerned use anything you desire, may it be English or French, with or without seeds. It's really up to you. I must confess that the soup is rather a mustard soup than a rutabaga. The reason is simple: I am a huge mustard fan.

Ingredients:
for the rutabaga soup:
500 g rutabaga
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1-2 allspice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
750 ml vegetable stock
salt, pepper

Sautee chopped onion in a tablespoon butter, after a few minutes add sliced garlic and diced rutabaga and sautee for 5 minutes together with the allspice. Add vegetable stock and cook for 15-20 minutes. Puree and press it through a strainder (there will remain quite a lot of puree in the strainer, but this can be served the other day as a side dish). Season soup with salt, pepper and mustard.

for the rainbow trout balls: 
150 g rainbow trout
1 egg
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard seeds
1-2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
salt, pepper

Chill trout until ice cold, then puree together with an egg, mustard powder, crème fraîche and tarragon. Form balls with a help of two spoons and cook in simmering water in 2-3 minutes. Serve soup with trout balls, peanut oil and coarsly chooped peanuts.