Ingredients
Serves 4-6Trout
4 X 300g+ trout per person - gutted and cleaned
Up to ½ cup of flour (for 4 fish) on a sheet of greaseproof paper, seasoned with salt and pepper
½ to 1 cup of clarified butter, melted
½ cup flaked almonds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chard (Silverbeet)
Clarified butter or olive oil for cooking
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Trout
Trim fins and tail with sharp scissors.
Dry the fish, season the cavities with salt and pepper.
Dust the fish very lightly in flour and shake off the excess.
Heat two heaped tbsp of clarified butter in two large fry pans until sizzling.
Lay 2 trout in each pan and continue to cook for 4 minutes on one side. Turn fish over carefully and cook for 4 minutes on the other side.
For very small fish (up to 300gs) that should be sufficient cooking. Fish are done when the flesh separates easily from the dorsal fins on their backs.
Remove from the pan and keep warm, tented with foil.
When dealing with slightly bigger fish, continue the cooking process by placing the fish on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 170°C for a further five minutes whilst you deal with the almonds and prepare to serve.
Divide warm seasoned silverbeet between 4 warm plates. Place a cooked trout on each.
Replace the fish pan on heat and add the flaked almonds, browning them in the residual clarified butter from fish. Add a little more clarified butter if necessary. Cook until almonds are lightly coloured and aromatic. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour butter and almonds over fish and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Chard
Wash silverbeet thoroughly.
Strip greens away from stems. Chop stems and place in a pan with a little clarified butter or olive oil to sauté. Cook until softened but do not allow to colour.
Slice the greens and add to a pot of boiling salted water. After 3 minutes, use tongs to transfer the greens to the pan and continue to cook along with the stems for a further 2 minutes.
The residual water on the greens will create a moist cooking environment. Taste to ensure the silverbeet is adequately cooked. Season well.
Can be kept warm until ready for use.
Alla is from the Lakehouse at Daylesford.
www.lakehouse.com.au
The Lakehouse has wonderful local trout delivered on a daily basis from Tuki Springs. Occasionally guests will also catch a few in local waterways and bring them in to be cooked.
Meuniere means millers wife and refers to the little amount of flour the miller’s wife would be likely to have on her hands when dealing with the fresh trout.