How big was that Trout?

Growing up in New Zealand we had the benefit of living in one of the best trout fishing areas in the world.  I spent many days up and down the river with my brothers,  in the river and on the surrounding lakes fishing with my dad.  The purest trout fisherman these days don’t eat trout they just catch (weigh & photograph) and release.  Kiss before popping back I hear you say, well obviously NOT in NZ.  Trout can not be sold in NZ.  If you do want to eat it fishing it has to be and you can then cook what you catch. 

We have a friend that owns undisputedly the best fly fishing lodge in NZ (www.owenriverlodge.co.nz) and he would laugh his head off at the size of the fish I am about to present to you, and not be in the least interested in eating it.  This is a picture I took form him lodge looking over the Owen river from my room.

Not a bad view....back to the point....I’m in Australia not NZ and we farm, sell and eat trout here, any size.  I’m very keen on eating trout either fresh or smoked and was happy with these two little fish I found lying in a bed of ice on Friday.

So we invited John, Tash and Airen to join us for Saturday dinner.   After introducing them to the new chickens who where wandering around the yard being tormented by Tana.....

We sat back to enjoy the last of the day and try some freshly baked focaccia with roasted garlic, olives and rosemary (we will come to that recipe another day).  I served this with red and yellow peppers, simply charred, peeled and sliced and grilled Haloumi cheese and sliced salami.  Tash added a hummus that she will have to send me the recipe for, it was great.

Once the angel child went off to sleep we sat down to have the trout.

Trout wrapped in prosciutto with pine nuts

2 baby trout, cleaned and dried

¼ cup of sultanas

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

rind on 1 lemon

a handful of parsley

¼ cup of white wine

8 thin slices of prosciutto

200gms butter

Put sultanas and wine into a small pot and bring to the boil, set  aside and cool.

Finely chop parsley, add lemon rind 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts and the drained and chopped sultanas.  Season with a little salt and pepper and the stuff mixture into the cleaned and dried trout.

Lay 4 slices of prosciutto onto a board and place the trout on top wrapping the fish in the prosciutto and place into a foil lined baking tray.  I popped a slice of lemon over the head of the fish for those with a slight delicacy about these things (he shell remain nameless).

Bake for 20 -25 minutes at 180C, the prosciutto will become crisp.

Just before serving heat the butter and the other tablespoon of pine nuts until the butter browns and the nuts start to turn then serve this over the fish.

We served this with steamed asparagus and potato I had finely sliced and oven baked in chicken stock.  

The picture above shows the plate as served for 2 to share.

Enjoy, Love Mary