RECIPES
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Now for some easy to follow recipes using your fresh trout. In all of these recipes you can use a salmon or sea trout as an alternative, although larger salmon will need filleting or cutting into cutlets. The largest fish demand the use of a fish kettle or similar large container if they are to be cooked whole.
SALMON KETCHUP AND HERBS
This is probably one of the easiest and quickest recipes, once you have all the ingredients together to make the sauce.
Salmon/trout fillets - 2, skin on, about 140g each
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh herbs - to garnish, such as basil and parsley
For the Sauce
Tomato ketchup - 170g
Shallots - 50g, finely chopped
Chives - 1tbsp, chopped
Tarragon - 1tbsp, chopped
Chervil - 1tbsp, chopped
Worcestershire sauce - 2tbsp
Tabasco sauce - 10 drops
White wine vinegar - 2tbsp
Maldon sea salt - a pinch
Olive oil - 150ml
To make the sauce, simply mix all the ingredients together.
Heat a large frying pan and add the extra virgin olive oil. Place the fillets, skin side down in the hot oil and cook for a few minutes on each side. Vary the time according to the thickness of the fillets. When cooked, place the fillets on a plate, skin side up and pour over the sauce. Alternatively, place a little sauce on the plate and rest the cooked salmon steak onto it. Garnish with the fresh herbs and serve with boiled new potatoes or a green salad - or both!
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FISH AND CHIPS!
A new take on an old idea. The chips are made with courgettes and is served with a tartare sauce. Make the sauce, then the chips and finally cook the fish to any appropriate recipe.
Tartare Sauce
Egg yolks - 2 large, free range
White wine vinegar - 1 tsp
English mustard powder - 1 tsp
Sea salt
Black pepper - freshly ground
Olive oil (light) - 250ml
Capers chopped - 1 tbsp
Gherkin - 1 large, finely diced
Shallot - 1 large, peeled and finely chopped
Flat leaf parsley - 1tbsp, chopped
Lemon juice – of 1 lemon
Place the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard powder and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender and whizz until smooth and creamy. Keep the blender running and slowly trickle in the olive oil until a thick golden emulsion forms. Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, stirring gently. Check the seasoning and then cover with cling film and place in the fridge to chill until needed.
Courgette Chips
Vegetable oil - for frying
Courgettes - 6 large
Plain flour - 100g
Milk - 150ml
Pre-heat the oven to 140C/Gas 1. Heat 5-6cm oil in a heavy based pan to 180C. As an indication a cube of bread will take 1 minute to turn brown. Trim the ends off the courgettes and then cut them into 1cm thick batons (sticks 1cm square). Place the flour in a bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Place the milk into a second bowl. Dip the courgette batons into the milk, shake off the excess and then transfer to the flour, coating well. Fry the batons in batches for 4-6 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and place in the heated oven to keep warm while cooking the rest.
Cook you fish according to any suitable recipe to complete your meal
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FISH AND CHIPS - AGAIN!
And this isn't the fish and chips you were expecting either - this one is baked. It couldn't be simpler. Serves 6.
Salmon/trout fillets - 800g, skinned and cut into chunks
Extra virgin olive oil - 2tbsp
Potatoes - 1kg, with skins on and sliced into wedges
Onion - 1, roughly chopped
Garlic cloves - 6, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Parsley, coriander or dill - 1 handful, chopped to garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 190C/gas 5. Pour the oil in a roasting pan, adding the potatoes, onion and garlic. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the mixture over once or twice to ensure even cooking.
Remove from the oven and add the fish and lemon juice. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Remove from the oven, add the parsley, coriander or dill and season before serving.
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PAN FRIED TROUT/SALMON (1)
S
almon/trout fillets - skin on, about 140g each
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Sea salt
Black pepper
Don't forget to remove the pin bones before starting. Heat a wide frying pan, preferably non-stick, until hot. Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Season the fillets on both sides and fry with the skin side down for about 3 minutes. The skin should be golden brown and the fish cooked about two thirds through. Turn the fillets over and cook for another 30 seconds or so, which should be enough to finish the cooking. The fish should feel just firm to the touch. Serve the fish and chips with plenty of tartar sauce and a green salad if desired.
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PAN FRIED TROUT (2)
T
rout - 4 small whole, cleaned and gutted
Rosemary - few sprigs
Thyme - leaves only from a few sprigs
Garlic cloves - 2 peeled and crushed
Lemon - pared rind only
Lemon - 4 wedges
Sea salt
Black pepper
Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Stuff the herbs, garlic and lemon rind into the trout cavities. Heat a heavy (e.g. cast iron) frying pan and add the oil. Pan fry the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, until the skin turns crispy brown. Season with the salt and pepper and serve with the lemon wedges.
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GRILLED TROUT WITH HERB BUTTER
S
mall trout or trout fillet
100g salted butter
Bunch parsley, tarragon or thyme
This method will suit smaller whole cleaned fish or fillets. Soften the butter and mix with chopped parsley, tarragon or thyme. Roll this into a sausage shape and chill in the fridge. Pre-heat the grill and cook the fish three or four minutes on each side, turning once. Place one or two medallions of the butter on the fish for the last minute of cooking and allow it to melt.
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There are dozens of different ways in which you can dress and season the fish prior to baking. Here are a couple, although you really can do anything that comes to mind - within reason! Whatever you try, you must protect the fish from the fierce heat of the oven - usually by wrapping it in foil.
BAKED TROUT (METHOD 1)
W
hole cleaned trout
1 lemon
Bunch parsley
Knob of butter
Salt
Pepper
25ml olive oil
Clean, wash and dry the whole trout. Zest and slice a lemon and stuff the cavity with the lemon slices and bunches of parsley together with a knob of butter. Make several diagonal slashes in the skin of the fish. Make a mix of salt, pepper the lemon zest and olive oil and drizzle over the fish. Pre-heat the oven and bake at 200C/gas 6 for about 25 minutes. Serve on a bed of roasted vegetables.
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BAKED TROUT (METHOD 2)
W
hole cleaned trout
1 bouquet garni
1 Bay leaf
Bunch parsley
100g butter
Salt
Pepper
Soften the butter and use a little to coat a sheet of baking foil large enough to wrap the fish. Use a little more to spread over one side of the fish and lay that side in the centre of the foil. Place the bouquet garni, bay leaf and parsley in the cavity, together with several knobs of butter. Spread a little butter on the top of the fish and add seasoning. Fold the edges of the foil up to make a parcel and place in an oven proof dish. Pre-heat the oven to 190/gas 5 and bake for about 30 minutes.
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In the next two recipes the "en papilotte" just means that it has been wrapped in paper. The story goes that you can cook this one in the dishwasher - but don't put any detergent in the machine!
TROUT AND WATERCRESS EN PAPILOTTE
Fresh whole trout, cleaned, 1 per person
Greaseproof paper
Chilled butter - 4 oz (100g)
Dill - fresh
Chervil - fresh
Flat leaf parsley - fresh
Watercress - fresh
1 Lemon - sliced
Sea salt
Fresh black pepper
Cut a piece of greaseproof paper, large enough to completely wrap a single fish with an overlap. Cut generous slices of the chilled butter and lay them in the centre of the greaseproof paper. Lay the fish on the butter slices and season well with the salt and pepper. Stuff the fish cavity with dill, chervil and flat leaf parsley. Lay 4 or 5 slices of lemon on top of the fish, followed by a generous bunch of the watercress. Now wrap the paper over the fish and fold its edges several times to make the parcel secure. Repeat this for each fish. Place the parcel/s on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with new potatoes and a green salad.
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Here's another "en papilotte" recipe.
STEAMED TROUT EN PAPILOTTE
L
arge trout fillet
Fennel - shaved
Shallots - finely chopped
Lemon - two or three slices
White wine - a few slurps
Olive oil
Seasoning
Lay the trout on a large sheet of baking paper. Scatter over the fennel and shallots and add the lemon slices. Sprinkle over some olive oil and the white wine and finally the seasoning. Fold the paper to make a parcel and place on a baking sheet. Pre-heat the oven and bake at 190C/gas 5 for 15-20 minutes.
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Salmon and trout lend themselves to poaching so here are several recipes along those lines, followed by a few more unusual ideas.
POACHED TROUT/SALMON (METHOD 1)
4 salmon/trout steaks
S
ea salt
Freshly ground pepper
For the Stock
1 medium carrot - sliced
1 small onion - sliced
2 sticks celery - sliced
1 small leak - sliced
1 garlic clove - peeled
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 strip lemon zest
Bouquet garni - the one in a teabag is easiest
250ml dry white wine
Rub the steaks with the sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place all the other ingredients in a saucepan with 1¼ litres of cold water. Bring to the boil for a minute, skim off any scum and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Then gently slide the steaks into the simmering liquid, and bring back to a gentle simmer - do not boil or the fish will go dry and flaky. Simmer like this for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit in the hot liquid for another 2 or 3 minutes according to the thickness of the steaks. Gently remove the steaks from the liquid and serve.
Poached trout or salmon are ideal served with a lemon zabaglione dressing (it’s a bit fiddly but worth it) - made as follows:
Zabaglione
3 egg yolks
50g unsalted butter - melted and warm
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Juice of ¼ lemon
Fill a large saucepan one third full with water and bring to the boil. Sit a large stainless steel bowl over the boiling water and put in the egg yolks together with 4 tbsp of water. Whisk the yolks for 5 minutes. The idea is to increase the volume and create a light and expanded lemon coloured foam. Continue whisking until it thickens and then remove from the heat. Add the melted butter and briefly whisk in. Season with the salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice to taste and whisk this in. Spoon a little over each cooked steak when serving.
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POACHED TROUT/SALMON (METHOD 2)
Trout/salmon fillets
White wine - splash
Fennel - chopped
Bay leaves - 2 or 3
Black whole peppercorns - a dozen or so
Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
White wine vinegar - 2 tbsp
Egg yolks - 2
Oil - sunflower or other non flavoured oil
Tarragon - chopped
Lemon - squeeze
Salt
Pepper
Add the chopped fennel, bay leaves and whole black peppercorns to some water with the splash of white wine (enough to cover the fish comfortably). Bring to the boil and then back to a simmer. Add the fish to the simmering liquid for about 4 minutes and then remove from the heat and allow it to sit for 40 minutes.
While the fish is sitting whisk together the Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, two egg yolks and salt and pepper to season. As you whisk, drizzle in the oil - a little at a time or it will split. When you have the consistency of mayonnaise add the tarragon and a squeeze of lemon. Serve the mayonnaise as a generous side serving to the poached fish with a green salad.
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POACHED SALMON/TROUT (METHOD 3)
Thick Salmon/trout steaks - 4 about 5oz each
Bay leaves - 2
Fresh Thyme - 3 sprigs
Shallot - 1 peeled and sliced
White wine vinegar - 3 tbsp
Lemon - a few slices
Sea salt
Black pepper - freshly ground
Watercress - a few sprigs
This method is served with watercress sauce - recipe under. Add the bay leaves, thyme, shallot, lemon slices, vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper to a litre of cold water in a wide, shallow saucepan. When boiling reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. Gently place the fish steaks into the simmering liquid ensuring that each steak lies flat. Poach for 5 to 7 minutes depending on how well done you prefer. Then carefully remove the cooked steaks to a warm plate.
Watercress Sauce
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Shallot - 1 peeled and finely chopped
Watercress - 200g washed
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp to taste
Caster sugar - 1½ tsp to taste
Sea salt
Black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sweat the shallot until it softens - 4 to 5 minutes. Add the watercress and 100 - 150ml of the stock from the poached salmon. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes until the watercress has just wilted. Then place the contents of the saucepan in a blender and whizz until smooth. Add the lemon, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. This sauce can be served cold and if so the seasoning should be made quite strong as it tends to weaken on cooling. To serve, pour a thin layer of the sauce on the plate and rest the steak on it. Serve with a potato salad.
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POACHED TROUT/SALMON (METHOD 4)
Fillets of trout, sea trout or salmon - 4 x 150g skinned and boned
Green asparagus - 2 bunches
White asparagus - 2 bunches
Chives - bunch finely chopped
Butter - a small knob
Vinaigrette - (oil and vinegar with seasoning)
Mint hollandaise - buy pre-made
Sea salt
Black pepper - freshly ground
New potatoes - boiled in their skins and then skinned when cool
For the poaching liquid
Fish stock or water - 1.5l
Thyme - fresh sprig
Basil - a few fresh stalks
Lemon - 2-3 slices
Lemon grass - 2 sticks roughly chopped
Sea salt - a pinch
Place the ingredients for the poaching liquid into a large pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Season the fish fillets and poach them gently for 4 to 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and leave the fish to cool in the liquid for another couple of minutes.
Peel, trim and blanch the asparagus spears for 2-3 minutes until tender but still slightly firm. Drain, mix with some melted butter and season. Crush the potatoes with the back of a fork into uneven chunks, season well and drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette and then add the chives and mix. On a warm plate place some of the potato, place the fish fillet on top and then add the asparagus with a spoonful of the mint hollandaise.
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