RAINBOW TROUT RECIPE I ~ Trout en Croûte

Trout is cheap, can be disguised as salmon – trust me, if it’s cured or cooked properly most people can’t tell the difference – and it’s rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. I can’t wait to explore more trout recipes and share them with you.

I strongly advise you to think outside the box when cooking stocked trout. Don’t just bake it with simple seasoning – go all out, make a pie, canapés or curry. The options are endless. The trout I used was provided by yours truly, and caught at Kilnsey Park Estate in the Yorkshire Dales. You can also order trout from Chalkstream Foods.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

• 150g asparagus – trimmed

• 150g boursin cheese

• 1 egg yolk

• Finely grated lemon zest

• ¼ lemon

• ½ tbsp chives – chopped

• ½ punnet cress

• 500g puff pastry

• 500g filleted trout, skinned

• 1 egg – beaten

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 180 °C

2. Spoon the boursin cheese into a mixing bowl, add egg yolk, lemon juice

and zest and chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Roll the pastry out to 20cm x 40cm on a floured work surface.

4. Place trout on pastry

5. Brush round the trout with a beaten egg. Spread the trout with soft cheese

mixture, leaving a small amount in the bowl.

6. Arrange the asparagus on top lengthways, covering the whole trout.

7. Spread the remaining cream cheese mixture over the asparagus

o Roll the remaining piece of pastry so it is a little bigger than the base

piece. Lay on top of the asparagus and seal the edges. Trim to leave a 2cm

border all the way round and then crimp the edges. (Freeze any leftover

pastry).

8. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg

9. Slide the baking tray in the oven for 30 minutes, turning around halfway

through, until golden and crisp.

Served with crushed new potatoes with crème fraiche, petite pois, spring onion

and potted shrimps. Complimented with a side of tenderstem and a hollandaise

sauce.

N.B. I catered for 8 guests so I repeated the above and made two en croutes.

Recipe written for the Fieldsports Magazine.