Success with sea trout
Sea trout is the topic for the latest in a series of blogs on seasonal ingredients and their uses in some of the world’s best kitchens from food blogger and head of social media at Great British Chefs, Mecca Ibrahim.
Closely related to salmon, trout are mainly freshwater fish, but right now sea trout should be top of
Sea trout are brown trout that migrate. They’re highly prized by both chefs and anglers. Their diet of crustaceans makes them one of the most flavourful of the whole trout species. Scotland is renowned for its wild sea trout, found in many of its Lochs. Notable for its effervescent pink flesh, it looks a lot like salmon.
Although trout is not considered endangered, certain stocks are under threat. The Good Fish Guide claims that ‘buying organic farmed trout is the best choice’. It also advises not eating sea trout during its breeding season, from November to March.
Want to check a sea trout is fresh? Look deeply into its eyes. They should be bright. Next look at the gills, they should be bright red. The older the fish, the darker the colour of its gills. Fresh trout should also be firm to the touch and have a natural slime.
How to cook it? Sometimes simplicity is best. Douse it in olive oil, throw on some herbs, lemon juice and smashed garlic, then wrap the whole fish in foil. A quick tip is to slash the thickest part of the fish a couple of times on each side before it goes into the oven. This will help the heat penetrate into the flesh allowing for even cooking.
With sea trout you should be looking to maximise the fresh, vibrant flavour of the fish as much as possible. But don’t go overboard with any piquant ingredients you add, otherwise the trout’s flavour will be lost – horseradish, lemongrass or fresh coriander are all good options.
Nathan Outlaw’s sea trout looks a picture served on a bed of sea vegetables. The centrepiece, of sea trout cured in apple cider, is remarkably easy. His recipe shows you how to produce fresh crab stock and make a mayonnaise from brown crab.
Caviar adds a princely finish to Matthew Tomkinson’s sea trout and asparagus dish. Matt recommends using Ebene caviar and Sopley asparagus to create this gorgeous seafood dish. It’s a fantastic way to make the most of the tail end of asparagus season.
Shaun Rankin breaks down the art of creating a sabayon for his stunning sea trout, asparagus and pink grapefruit sabayon recipe. Grilled sea trout steaks are served with asparagus and a garnish of pink grapefruit segments topped by the light and zesty sabayon sauce.
Northcote Manor’s Lisa Allen concocts a remarkably inventive way to serve sea trout and cockles in this fantastic seafood course. The fish here is filleted in a more unusual way, as it is sliced from the in back spine side rather than the belly. With butter-cooked cockles and a potato salad flecked with vibrant samphire, this sea trout recipe is a bold adventure of seaside tastes that will please any palate.
For more sea trout dishes from some of Britain’s leading chefs, head over to Great British Chefs trout recipe collection.
See more trout recipes on The Staff Canteen -
Asian trout parcels with coconut chilli dipping sauce by Maggi
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