Sea trout, or salmon trout as it’s sometimes called, is one of our favourite seasonal treats. It’s only available from April to July but is well worth seeking out during this time. A close relation to salmon, the pink flesh tastes similar but is a little more subtle. The clams can be substituted for mussels or cockles if you prefer, but remember to discard any that don’t open once cooked. This sea trout with clams recipe makes a perfect weekend dinner.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
– 50ml olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
– 500g clams, mussels or cockles in shell, cleaned (see Tip)
– 50ml white wine
– 500ml good-quality hot fish stock
– ½ Romanesco broccoli, divided into florets (or use standard broccoli or cauliflower)
– 6 baby carrots, peeled and finely sliced lengthways
– ½ fennel bulb, trimmed and finely sliced
– 6 asparagus spears, finely sliced
– 6 stems rainbow chard, sliced
– 1 small yellow and green courgette, diced
– 2 tbsp chopped parsley
– 6 sea trout fillets, about 160–180g each, skin on (or use salmon)
– 3 garlic cloves, crushed
– 6 thyme sprigs
– 50–75g butter
– Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
– Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, to garnish
Method:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over a high heat until hot. Add the shellfish and toss a couple of times. Add the white wine, put the lid on the pan and cook for 2 minutes, until the shellfish have opened. Check them and discard any that are still closed, then pour the shellfish and juice into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Pour the hot fish stock into the same pan, along with all the vegetables and cook over a medium heat for about 4 minutes, until the vegetables are al dente.
3. Lift out the vegetables using a slotted spoon and place in a separate pan. Strain the shellfish juice into the stock pan. Add the shellfish to the vegetables with the parsley and cover with a lid to keep warm. Gradually whisk the 50ml oil into the hot stock to emulsify into a sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
4. Cook the sea trout. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Add the trout fillets to the pan (cook them in a couple of batches, if necessary), skin side down, and cook over a low–medium heat for 3 minutes (per batch). Remove the cooked fillets to a plate.
5. Once all the trout fillets are cooked and on one side, add the garlic, thyme and butter to the pan and heat until the butter is melted. Return the fillets to the pan (again, you may need to do this in batches) and cook on the other side for a further 2 minutes, all the while glazing them with the melted butter. Add the garlic, thyme and butter to the pan. Turn the fish over and cook for a further 2 minutes, all the while glazing it with the melted butter. The fish should be served pink in the middle.
6. Put a large ladleful of vegetables, shellfish and a little of the emulsified stock/sauce into each serving bowl, then place the trout fillets on top and drizzle over any pan juices, if you like. Garnish with the lemon zest and serve with fresh bread to mop up the delicious juices.
Tips: To clean shellfish, place in a bowl and cover with cold water, drain then pull away beards. Scrub mussels with a stiff nail brush. Tap open shellfish sharply with the back of a knife – if they don’t close, discard them. You can make this dish later in the summer with slightly bigger turnips and swapping asparagus for broad and runner beans.
RECIPE FROM BREAD STREET KITCHEN COOKBOOK BY GORDON RAMSAY
The Bread Street Kitchen aims to allow the home cook produce restaurant worthy dishes at home. From breakfast to dinner and everything in between, this is a collection of 100 fresh new recipes from Gordon Ramsay and the award-winning team at Bread Street Kitchen. Like the restaurant itself, the book is all about relaxed and sociable eating, using fresh ingredients, simple techniques all delivered with the signature Gordon Ramsay stamp so that you know it’s going to be good.
Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay is published by Hodder & Stoughton Publishers 2016 and is available to buy here.
Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay