Learn to do one of these and youu might be let out again next Thursday.

Fried Trout with Sage & Mushrooms

Ingredi­ents for Fish:

4 whole cleaned whole trout (cut into

two fil­lets per fish)

1 table­spoon veget­able oil

2 to 4 streaky rashers

1 table­spoon whole butter

1 tea­spoon salt

1 tea­spoon ground black pepper

1 cup of flour

Ingredi­ents for Sage & Mushrooms

sauce:

1 table­spoon fresh chopped sage

1 cup sliced mushrooms.

3 table­spoon cider vinegar

3 table­spoons white wine

1 table­spoons whole butter

1 table­spoon extra vir­gin olive oil

1 table­spoon minced garlic

pinch of sea salt

pinch of ground black pepper

Pre­par­a­tion:

This dish is pre­pared in two steps, first

the cook­ing of the trout. While the trout

is fin­ish­ing cook­ing you will begin to

pre­pare in a sep­ar­ate pan the mushroom

and sage mixture.

Pre­pare The Fish:

Heat a large pan over medium heat and add one table­spoon of veget­able oil and the rash­ers. Cook the bacon until it becomes very crisp and remove. Once the bacon has been removed lightly dust the trout fil­lets with seasoned flour (salt and pep­per), add one table­spoon of whole but­ter to the pan and quickly add the fish fil­lets flesh side down. Note that once you add the whole but­ter to the hot oil the but­ter will begin to burn, quickly adding the fish to the pan will reduce the heat and add a nice golden brown col­our to your trout

Pre­pare The Mush­room Mixture:

Heat a medium pan over a medium high flame for 1 minute. Once the pan is hot add the but­ter, olive oil and minced gar­lic. Fry for 30 seconds, add

the mush­rooms and sea­son with a pinch of salt and pep­per. While

you’re start­ing to cook the mush­room check how the trout is cook­ing. Once it starts to turn a nice golden brown col­our turn the fish over and cook for another 90 seconds and remove. Fin­ish cook­ing the mush­rooms by adding the sage, white wine and cider vin­egar check the taste as you add the vin­egar. Cover the trout with the sauce and serve.

Trout Meuniere

3 pounds trout fil­lets cut into 4 oz portions

salt

pep­per

1 cup flour

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup but­ter juice of 2 lem­ons 1/2 cup chicken stock (optional)

Salt and pep­per trout and cover with flour. Heat enough oil to cover bot­tom of fry pan. Fry trout quickly in hot oil, brown­ing evenly on both sides. Remove trout and place on bak­ing sheet in 350 degree oven to keep warm and fin­ish cook­ing for 5 to 10 minutes.

Melt but­ter in sauce­pan and heat until but­ter begins to brown, stir­ring to keep from burn­ing. When brown, add lemon juice care­fully — or the but­ter will bubble up when juice is added. Blend in stock and serve hot over the fish or on the side.

Serves 6

Pep­per Grilled Trout with Spring Onion Sauce

1 cup fish stock

1 cup dry white wine

1 cups double cream

1 bunch spring onion tops, cut into 1-in.

lengths

Salt and white pep­per to taste

2 lb. trout fillets

Ground black pep­per, as needed

2–3 oz. but­ter, melted

Fresh chives or green onion tops In medium sauce­pan over medium-high heat, com­bine fish stock with wine. Reduce by three quar­ters. Add cream; reduce to 1 cup.

Place spring onion tops in a blender; pour sauce over onions. Let stand for 5 minutes, then puree. Strain and sea­son to taste with salt and white pep­per. Return to sauce­pan; sim­mer. Hold over very low heat.

Grind pep­per to taste over trout fil­lets. Press in lightly with the heel of your hand. Brush with melted but­ter; sea­son to taste with salt. Grill trout on a clean oiled tray start­ing with the peppered side up. Remove to heated plates. Top with sauce. Gar­nish with fresh chopped chives or thinly sliced scal­lion tops. Serve at once. Serves 6.

Tip: Sauce may be made ahead. Store in pre­heated ther­mos for sev­eral hours or refri­ger­ate until needed. if refri­ger­ated, heat slowly and serve imme­di­ately or the fresh green col­our will soon be lost.

Tomato, herb and olive crus­ted trout

ngredi­ents

115g/4oz fresh breadcrumbs

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped thyme

2 plum toma­toes, finely chopped

50g/2oz black pit­ted olives, finely chopped

4 x 150g/5oz trout fillets

2 tbsp olive oil

To serve:

225g/8oz sugar snap peas

25g/1oz but­ter, melted

sea salt and black pepper

To Gar­nish:

thyme sprigs

Method

1. Pre­heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. 2. Place the bread­crumbs in a bowl and stir in the herbs, toma­toes and olives. Sea­son and mix well.

3. Arrange the fish fil­lets on two oiled bak­ing sheets and spoon the crust mix­ture on top. Drizzle with oil and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Mean­while, boil the new pota­toes for 15 minutes and steam the sugar snap peas.

5. Serve drizzled with melted but­ter and a good sprink­ling of black pep­per. 6. Gar­nish with thyme and a drizzle of olive oil and some sea salt flakes.

Cook’s Tip:

Push the point of a knife into the centre of the fish through the crust to check how well it is done. The fish should be opaque but not over cooked.

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