COMMENT:
"I think trout is a really enjoyable thing to eat, especially
when you have it whole. I remember going fishing with grandfather
when I was about seven years old – we used to catch trout,
take it home and cook it immediately. There is nothing like a plainly
cooked piece of trout, but the addition of thyme makes for a subtle
and refreshing combination. The last time I cooked this I used lemon
thyme from my window box and it was gorgeous – the thyme complements
the flavor of trout, which, as far as fish goes, has quite an earthy,
gamey taste. In the supermarkets you can only get farmed fresh-water
trout, which isn’t bad and is a very good value. Supermarkets
also sell some very nicely filleted trout, which are completely
boneless, very easy and quick to prepare and good for home use.
The best place to buy fish must always be your local fishmonger.
Alternatively, go fishing and catch your own." – Jamie
Oliver, The Naked Chef
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 (1-pound) trout, scaled and gutted
- 2 good handfuls of fresh thyme
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 2 lemons
- 4 fresh bay leaves
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Wash the trout inside and out and
pat dry with paper towels. Using a mortar and pestle, smash the
thyme (or finely chop) with 1 tsp salt, pepper and the olive oil.
Rub this mixture into the trout, covering the belly cavity and the
skin. Cut lemons in half and remove the ends so they have a flat
edge. With the point of a knife, make an incision into the flesh
of each lemon half and stick a bay leaf into it. Place trout and
lemons on a roasting tray and bake, approximately 10 minutes. The
trout is cooked properly when the meat is easily pulled away from
the bone at the thickest part of the fish. The skin should be crispy
and the roasted lemons should be beautifully sweet and slightly
jammy in flavor. Serve the trout with the lemon, which you can squeeze
on to the fish. I like to serve this dish with pan-fried potatoes
and a crisp green salad. |
