Sunday 3 August 2008

Fresh trout



Dinner tonight was caught, cleaned and cooked by Paul. I made salad and opened the front door so he could take the debris to the rubbish.

In the 8 years that I have known him, this is the second fish he has brought home. The first was a little bream, which was legal but really a 1-person fish. This fine rainbow trout clocked in at 800g (uncleaned) and made a very substantial meal.

He landed it just before 1800hrs, had the head and tail off so it fit in the pan, dusted it with seasoned flour (salt, white pepper and some smoked paprika) and into the pan by 2000hrs. A little sunflower oil, because after Friday's fish fry he is entirely on board with sunflower for frying fish. A fairly slow cook. And onto the plate.

Serendipitously, I am reading Cherry Cake & Ginger Beer, which features recipes for all the dishes in childrens' books that we longed to try. Even if the Christian message of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe went over my head the first few times it was read to me, the magic of superlatively fresh trout, followed by marmalade rolypoly was not. I got to the recipe for the marmalade rolypoly mid-afternoon, and was on the verge of getting dressed (it's Sunday - I didn't get past pyjamas) and going in search of suet. Fortunately sloth held me back, because after eating that beautiful slab of fish, I couldn't possibly face a suet pudding. Maybe next weekend...

12 comments:

Heather said...

Oh how I love trout! I saw some in the store not long ago, and they were so shiny and slippery and gorgeous that I brought one home. I stuffed its belly with herbs, breaded it in semolina and pan-fried it.

Oh, trout.

Alicia Foodycat said...

The flavour was the tiniest bit muddy - I think next time a stuffing and maybe a sauce will be employed. Maybe just a beurre blanc.

Just Cook It said...

I know what you mean about trout being 'muddy'. Looks good though

Dharm said...

I've never caught my own fish but I can imagine the thrill of cooking and eeating your own catch! Certainly looks great!

Darius T. Williams said...

You gotta love fresh trout - right? That sounded super. I would have coated it a bit in flour first, but still - great job w/this.

Ohhh and a brown butter sauce right over top? Maybe a sauce infused w/garlic and smudge of white wine...yup, sounds good - right?

-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

Alicia Foodycat said...

I would have done a sauce just like that Darius - but I wasn't cooking! Just the bit of lemon juice was good, and the paprika in the flour it was dusted with gave it a nice bit of spice.

I really want him to bring another one home so I can smoke it!

Brittany said...

I adore trout (and it looks like he got a nice crispy skin on it too!)

I am jealous!!

DocChuck said...

My wife is quite a fisherman. When we lived in Arkansas she used to catch trout and catfish in the pond on our small horsefarm (which we still own).

After she gutted and cleaned them, she'd grill them up and serve them with fresh corn and a big salad.

Super. Just super.

Now that we live in Maryland, she can't fish as much as she would like to. :-(

Great Post and Terrific Photos.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Shhh! DocChuck, don't talk about women fishing! Someone keeps threatening to buy me a rod...

Bettina Douglas said...

can I embarrass you by telling your readers the story of your first encounter with trout?

Alicia Foodycat said...

Remind me privately what the story is and I will decide whether you can tell it!

Bettina Douglas said...

Foodycat had her first taste of trout as a kitten age 3 (I won't mention which year that was). We were at home when the rest of the household were away. I bought a trout as a treat for myself. As I recall she ate the lot....

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