Adrian Freer is the author of books on reservoir fly fishing, fly dressing, trout fly patterns, religious topics, children's stories and poetry.

HOW TO FILLET A TROUT

 

Equipment needed:

Very sharp, narrow blade fish filleting knife (available from fishing lodges and kitchen shops)

Chopping board

Pair of tweezers

Pair of sharp scissors

 

Place the trout on the chopping board with the belly facing you. Remove the head and tail if they are still on.

 

Make an incision at the head end and widen the cut so the blade goes in from top to bottom, horizontal to the chopping board. Carefully slide the knife along and above the backbone, as close to the backbone as possible, towards the tail, using a slicing/sawing motion. You should feel the blade running along the backbone.

 

When you reach the tail end, turn the fish over and repeat the procedure. You now have two fillets. Discard the backbone and any waste attached.

 

Place the first fillet flat on the chopping board, flesh side up, and remove any visible bones. Using the scissors, next trim away the fins and cut off the fatty flesh around the belly and discard this. Run a finger along the fillet to feel for any bones (they will feel like sharp points) and carefully remove them with a pair of tweezers. Repeat until there are no bones left. Do the same with the second fillet.

 

Rinse thoroughly under a cold tap, removing every trace of blood, and dry with kitchen paper. This will eliminate any earthiness. They are now ready for cooking!

 

FRIED TROUT WITH FENNEL & PERNOD

 

For cooking the trout:

One medium or two small size trout

2 ounces plain flour (for coating the fillets)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ounce butter

1 tablespoon Pernod (if desired)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (for seasoning the flour)

 

For the fennel mayonnaise:

2 tablespoons Hellman’s mayonnaise or home-made olive oil mayonnaise

1½ fluid ounces Pernod

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh fennel

 

Fillet the trout. Coat each side of the fillets with the seasoned flour on a board.

 

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan and fry the trout fillets in the oil and butter, turning once, until golden brown.  If desired add a little Pernod to the trout after turning.

 

In a bowl mix the mayonnaise, Pernod, chives and fresh fennel together, and serve as an accompaniment with the trout (preferably chilled in the fridge).

 

It goes well with a mixed salad and white crusty bread and butter. Serve with a chilled white wine or Champagne. Serves two.

 

GRILLED RAINBOW TROUT

 

Ingredients:

1 medium size rainbow trout, filleted

1 fresh lime

Butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Lay the two fillets on a baking tray, lined with kitchen foil, with the skin side down.

 

Squeeze the lime juice over both the fillets (this will eliminate any possibility of earthiness). Add salt, pepper and dot with a few knobs of butter.

 

Place under a pre-heated grill set at medium/high for 8 to 10 minutes and cook until lightly brown.

 

When cooked, carefully remove the fillets from the baking tray with a fish slice and serve on warmed plates, garnished with a wedge of lemon, with new potatoes and asparagus.

 

Goes well with the fennel mayonnaise (see previous recipe). A still or sparkling rosé wine makes a delicious accompaniment. Serves two.

 

BAKED TROUT WITH TARRAGON

 

Ingredients:

1 large size whole trout with the head, tail and fins removed; the sides deeply scored five or six times with a sharp knife

2 ounces melted butter

1 large bunch chopped fresh tarragon

4 fluid ounces dry white wine

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Line the baking dish with an oversize sheet of kitchen foil. Brush the foil with some of the melted butter. Place the trout on the foil, skin side down, and lift the edges of the foil up and around the fish.

 

Mix the tarragon with the rest of the butter, plus the wine, lime juice, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the cavity of the fish and over the top.

 

Bring the sides of the foil over the top of the fish and pinch together, folding several times, to make a loose, airtight parcel.

 

Bake in pre-heated oven at 220ºC/gas mark 7 for 40 minutes. Remove trout from oven, open foil and lift from the skin.

 

Serve with crushed potatoes, cucumber salad and fennel sauce. Serves four.

 

RICHARD GALE’S SMOKED TROUT PÂTÉ

 

Ingredients:

4 ounces cooked smoked trout

1½ ounces Philadelphia cheese

1 tablespoon creamed horseradish sauce

1 ounce butter

Chopped parsley

Lemon juice

         

Melt the butter in a small dish (warming it in a microwave oven on a low setting makes the job very easy).

 

When it is cold, mash the smoked trout in a bowl or food processor and add the Philadelphia cheese, horseradish sauce, chopped parsley and half of the melted butter. Mix it all together thoroughly until it is a smooth consistency; adding the lemon juice at the end.

 

Put the mixture into a ramekin dish and smooth it out carefully.  Pour the rest of the melted butter on the top of the mixture and swirl it over the pâté to seal it.

 

Place in the refrigerator to chill and when it is nicely cold it is ready to serve.

 

When you next smoke a trout, make sure that you smoke an extra one for making into pâté. In fact it would be a good idea to make double the quantity (or more) and freeze the rest for another time – it is that delicious.

 

DELICIOUS ACCOMPANIMENTS TO TROUT

 

POTATO AND AVOCADO SALAD

 

Ingredients:

¾ pound Charlotte or baby new potatoes

2 avocado pears

1 punnet cress

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Boil the potatoes until cooked and drain. Remove skin and stone from avocados and dice into ¾ inch cubes. Cut, wash and dry the cress on kitchen paper.

 

Place the potatoes, avocados and cress in a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, squeeze the juice of lemon over and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with salad servers and serve hot. Serves two.

 

CRUSHED POTATOES WITH SPRING ONIONS

Ingredients:

1 pound Vivaldi potatoes

4 spring onions finely chopped

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Boil the potatoes until soft, drain and return to pan, lightly crush the potatoes with a potato masher. Drizzle the olive oil over, sprinkle the spring onions on top, and season with salt and pepper. Toss lightly and serve hot. Serves two.