SPRING // Recipe for four
River plants, steamed trout and buttermilk
We use brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout in the restaurant, depending on the time of year and where we’ve been fishing. We often camp beside the local river; the banks are lush with river mint, fennel and purslane growing among the rocks.
TROUT ROE
80 g (23/4 oz) trout roe
30 ml (1 fl oz) light soy sauce
Put the trout roe and soy sauce in a vacuum or cryovac bag, seal the bag and leave for at least 3 hours in the fridge, to compress and marinate the roe.
BUTTERMILK
120 ml (4 fl oz) buttermilk
10 g (¼ oz) salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Whisk together the buttermilk, salt and olive oil until slightly aerated.
Cut four pieces of baking paper just larger than the trout fillets. Place each fillet, skin side down, on a piece of paper. Put in a steamer, making sure none of the fillets overlap (you might need to use two layers of the steamer). Put a sprig of river mint on each fish, cover and steam for about 6 minutes. Peel the paper away from each fillet, followed by the fish skin. Season with the salt.
BROWN BUTTER CREME
100 ml (3½ fl oz) brown butter, at room temperature
300 g (10½ oz) sour cream
10 g (¼ oz) salt
Mix together the brown butter and sour cream and season with salt.