Trout with Smoked Bacon

• butter, for greasing
• 4 x 275 g (9 1/2 oz) trout, gutted and cleaned
• 12 anchovies in oil, drained and chopped
• 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 4 fresh mint sprigs
• juice of 1 lemon
• 12 slices rindless smoked fatty bacon
• 450 g (1 lb) dried tagliatelle
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

To garnish

• 2 apples, cored and sliced
• 4 fresh mint sprigs

1. Grease a deep baking tray (cookie sheet) with butter.
2. Open up the cavities of each trout and rinse with warm salt water.
3. Season each cavity with salt and pepper.
4. Divide the anchovies, sliced apples and mint sprigs between each of the cavities.
5. Sprinkle the lemon juice into each cavity.
6. Carefully cover the whole of each trout, except the head and tail, with three slices of smoked bacon in a spiral.
7. Arrange the trout on the baking tray (cookie sheet) with the loose ends of bacon tucked underneath.
8. Season with pepper and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes, turning the trout over after 10 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil.
10. Add the tagliatelle and olive oil and cook for about 12 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite.
11. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large, warm serving dish.
12. Remove the trout from the oven and arrange on the tagliatelle.
13. Garnish with sliced apples and fresh mint sprigs and serve immediately.

Fresh Fried Trout

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 150 g cubed Spanish panceta, bacon lardons or ham
• 2 trout, cleaned
• 2 tablespoons plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, cut into slivers
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan, add the panceta and fry until just golden.
2. Remove to a plate.
3. Dust the fish with the seasoned flour.
4. Open the bellies, season with salt and pepper and put in the garlic slivers.
5. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, add the trout and fry over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.
6. Increase the heat and cook for a further 2 minutes on each side.
7. Transfer to hot plates, then return the panceta to the pan to warm through.
8. Spoon the panceta on top of the trout and sprinkle with parsley and pepper.
9. Serve hot with lemon wedges, or leave until cold.

Note Panceta is Spanish streaky bacon, like Italian pancetta. Panceta ahumada is smoked streaky bacon. Both are available cut from slabs in Spanish shops.

Trout In A Parcel

• 4 trout each weighing about 300g, gutted & cleaned
• 125ml olive oil
• juice 1½ lemons
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced finely
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 25g butter
• 25g plain flour
• 200ml well flavoured fish stock
• 4 tablespoons capers in brine, drained & chopped
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Lay the trout side by side in a wide bowl.
2. Mix the olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, onion & parsley.
3. Season with freshly ground black pepper and pour all over the trout.
4. Turn the trout over with your hands & make sure they are covered both inside & out with the marinade.
5. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan until foaming.
7. Add the flour & stir quickly to make a roux.
8. Remove from the heat & gradually whisk in the fish stock.
9. Season with freshly ground black pepper, bring to the boil stirring constantly & cook until thick and smooth.
10. Stir in the capers & set aside.
11. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4.
12. Wrap each fish in a square of foil with as much of the marinade as possible and lay them side by side in an ovenproof dish.
13. Bake in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.
14. Reheat the caper sauce.
15. Serve immediately, unwrapping the fish at the table.

Trout Fillets On Lemon Barley Risotto

• 4 trout fillets
• 1 medium sized head of broccoli
• 1 small cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 340g pearl barley
• 900ml of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Set the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6.
2. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets. Add the coriander seeds and put in a roasting tin.
3. Cook in the oven uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
4. Place the pearl barley, stock and lemon in a separate baking tin.
5. Season with black pepper and bring to the boil on the top of the cooker.
6. When boiling, transfer to the oven and cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
7. Preheat the grill to high.
8. Season the trout fillets with black pepper and grill skin side up until cooked right through. This should take about 3 minutes.
9. Serve the lemon barley risotto topped with the trout fillet alongside the roasted cauliflower and broccoli.
10. Garnish with one of the lemon wedges, from the cooked barley.

Smoked Trout, Poached Egg Salad With Lemon & Parmesan

• 60g mixed herb salad
• 500g new potatoes, cooked
• 200g pack smoked trout fillets
• 4 medium sized eggs
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons parmesan shavings
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Divide the salad leaves between four serving plates & arrange the potatoes & smoked trout fillets on top.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to simmering point, swirl the water round with a spoon & crack in the eggs to poach for approximately 2 – 3 minutes, to taste.
3. Drain with a slotted spoon & serve on top of the trout with a squeeze of lemon, parmesan shavings, & seasoning to taste.

Grilled Trout with Garlic & Thyme

• 4 whole trout, gutted
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 50g butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 50g flaked almonds

1. Make small slits in the trout, press in the sliced garlic and place on a grill pan.
2. Mix together the butter, thyme and seasoning.
3. Dot half of this mixture over the trout, then place under a preheated moderate grill for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally and dotting with the remaining butter mixture during cooking.
4. Sprinkle the almonds over the trout and return to the grill for 1-2 minutes, until browned.
5. Serve immediately with new potatoes, mange tout and baby corn.

Mustard Sauce

• 250 grammes of mayonnaise
• 2 heaped teaspoons of French mustard
• 1 teaspoon of strong English mustard
• 1 desert spoon of honey
• Chopped fresh dill – lots of it!
• 1 teaspoon of soya sauce
• A little salt and ground black pepper
• 1 desert spoon of white wine vinegar

1. Mix all together.
2. Alter to your own taste.
3. Experiment to achieve perfection!

Gravad Lax

For 1.5 lbs of Salmon or Trout fillets.

• 1 level table spoon brown sugar
• 2 large table spoon sea salt
• 1 table spoon black pepper
• A good handful of chopped fresh Dill
• 1 table spoon of Brandy

1. Mix together.
2. Rub well into fillets then wrap tightly in tin foil and place in glass or similar dish (not metal) and pop in to fridge.
3. Put some weights on top. Keep for 48-72 hours turning every 12 hours, if it leaks, spoon over the fillets and reseal.
4. Slice thicker than smoked salmon.
5. Serve with mustard sauce on Danish or German style dark bread.
6. Before serving scrape off the dill and salt.

Controversial Trout Pie our own recipe!

• 150g/ 6oz Shortcrust Pastry
• 150g/ 6oz Hot Smoked Trout, flaked
• 1 small leek, finely sliced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150ml/ ¼ pint full fat milk
• 1 tblspn horseradish sauce
• 1 tblspn chopped, fresh dill
• Salt and pepper

1. Roll the pastry large enough to line an 18 cm / 7 inch plain or fluted flan ring.
2. Place an 18cm / 7 inch disc of greaseproof paper on top of the pastry and weigh down with baking beans.
3. Bake at 190C/ Gas Mark 5 for 10 minutes.
4. Remove and leave to cool, then remove the beans and paper.
5. Meanwhile, beat the eggs, milk, horseradish, dill and salt and pepper together.
6. Arrange the flaked hot smoked trout in the pastry case and scatter the sliced leek on top.
7. Carefully pour the egg mixture to evenly cover the fish then place in the centre of the oven at 1910C/ Gas Mark 5 for 35 – 40 minutes or until set and slightly golden.

Brown Trout Fillets in Nut Butter Dressing

• 4 Brown Trout Fillets, scales removed
• Plain flour for coating
• 50g Lightly Salted Butter
• 50g chopped, roasted hazelnuts
• Fresh Flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Hazlenut oil

1. Rinse the trout fillets and pat dry.
2. Lightly coat the fish in the flour and set aside.
3. Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan, large enough to accommodate all the fillets, until sizzling.
4. Gently lay the fillets, skin side down in the butter and leave for 2 minutes.
5. Gently shake the pan; if the fish are stuck, leave them a little longer.
6. When they are browned, turn them using two fish slices and continue to cook until firm and cooked through.
7. Remove the fish to warmed serving plates while you finish the dressing.
8. Add the hazelnuts to the frying pan and stir to heat through and flavour the butter.
9. Pour a little of this mix over each fillet and finish the dish with a drizzle of hazelnut oil and the chopped parsley.