Rainbow trout is reputed to be one of the healthiest fish you can eat, being low in fat and high in protein. LYNN BAIN’S trout recipe is super easy to make and super delicious to eat.
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Both the method and the ingredients for this dish featuring rainbow trout are simple — just a few ingredients and a gentle way of cooking.
The ingredients allow the subtle flavours of the freshwater trout to shine through.
I find that serving the fillets skin and scales (on the underside away from view) and tail on, as well as the rib bones in the fillet, encourages the diner to think about the fish and its structure.
Stimulating simple thought on how to eat it, such as lifting the flesh away from the skin and leaving the skin undisturbed on the plate, is cognitively more engaging — which is part of this dish’s entertainment value.
Handy hint one: Baking paper is available in extra wide rolls. I like to use this size when wrapping the trout because it gives me a little wriggle room when folding the baking paper around the fillet(s).
Handy hint two: Use herbs with a gentle flavour, such as flat leaf parsley and/or chives, so you don’t overwhelm the beautiful trout flavour.
Handy hint three: Either lemon or lime juice and zest can be used in this recipe. I usually zest the citrus fruit that I am using and then cut the zested fruit into slices — maximising the use of the fruit with minimal wastage.
The following ingredients are for one trout. If you are cooking more than one trout, please adjust the amounts in the ingredients accordingly.
Before you start, preheat the oven to 170°C.
HERBY BAKED TROUT EN PAPILLOTE
INGREDIENTS
1 trout, prepared
2 tbsp butter
1 lime, zested and then sliced
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp white wine (optional)
Step 1: Lay three lime slices on a sheet of baking paper of sufficient length and width to be able to fold it into a parcel to enclose the fish fillet. This folded paper parcel is the 'en papillote' element of the technique (the paper which is used to enclose the fillet and keep moisture in).
Step 2: A close-up of the three lime slices (each split fillet of the trout will be laid across these lime slices).
Step 3: Place the butter, herbs and citrus zest into a microwave-proof jug.
Step 4: Microwave the jug and its contents on a low heat until the butter has just melted.
Step 5: Add the wine to the melted butter mixture (this step is optional dependent on whether you are using the wine) and stir to blend the ingredients together.
Step 6: Drizzle the butter mixture over the trout flesh.
Step 7: Lift the baking paper lengthways up over the trout and then fold the edges over two or three times.
Step 8: Now fold the ends of the baking paper under the trout.
Step 9: Place the trout ‘parcel’ onto a baking sheet and put it in the oven. Bake for about10 minutes depending on the size of the trout.
Step 10: The cooked trout ready for dining enjoyment. I serve the fillets from a large platter onto a plate that is already presented with my guest’s chosen vegetables from a selection platter. Please note that the rib bones have not been removed from the trout. There's a bit of theatre in removing them at the dinner table — and a bit of a challenge for those doing this for the first time; being a simple task it adds to the fun of the serving.
