by Jamison Godfrey •
You can’t beat this time of year for some wild trout fishing.
The fish are looking up for a feed regularly with the warm northerlies pushing trout into the wind lanes in search of an easy feed, with beetles, ants and numerous bugs all on the menu.
Next time one lands in the net and is destined for the plate, give this dish a try. It’s great to serve up and share with fishing companions or family and friends. For best results if possible use good quality parmesan cheese, Australian olive oil and garlic that is non-bleached or in a jar loaded with preservatives.
This will really improve the flavours and the overall outcome of the meal.
Ingredients
1kg trout filleted with skin on
1 heaped tablespoon baby capers
4 pinkeye potatoes washed and sliced thinly
Vegetable oil for frying
Small handful rocket for garnish
Pesto
2 cups firmly packed rocket leaves
3 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup pine nuts toasted
80g shaved parmesan (Grana Padano)
250ml olive oil
Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
30ml white wine vinegar
½ small red onion chopped
¼ cup chopped dill
350ml vegetable oil
Seasoning to taste
Method
Once cleaned, fillet the trout, removing as many bones as possible. The easiest way to do this is make a cut behind the head until you hit the spine, then run the knife down the spine to the end of the tail, repeat this on the other side and discard the bones and head. Lay the fillets skin side down and carefully remove the stomach bones and any bones from the dorsal area. If you want to remove the pin bones with a pair of tweezers you can, but it’s not overly necessary.
Lay the fillets skin side down on a well-greased tray and refrigerate while the rest of the menu is being created and preheat the oven to 180°C.
For the pesto, place all the ingredients into a food processor except for the olive oil. Blitz the ingredients adding the olive oil slowly until a slightly smooth pesto is formed, remove and place into a jar with a screw top lid.
For the mayonnaise place all the ingredients into a food processor except for the oil and seasoning, blitz adding the oil slowly until it becomes a thick consistency, season and taste.
Heat some vegetable oil (300ml)to about 170°C, slice the potatoes nice and fine, I used a mandolin, if you don’t have one just carefully use a knife and get them as even as possible. Fry the chips in small batches and drain on paper towel, place onto a tray with bakers paper and place in the oven to keep warm.
Now all the sauces are made place the trout fillets in the oven and season well, bake until the fillets are just cooked, about 15 minutes, remove and rest.
To serve lay the trout fillets on an oval platter skin side down, place the pinkeye chips in the centre of the fillets, spoon some pesto and mayonnaise around the trout, garnish with some fresh rocket leaves and baby capers, then get stuck in!
This recipe is from award winning chef Jamison Godfrey of the Drunken Admiral restaurant in Hobart, Tasmania. If you’re ever in Hobart we highly recommend visiting the Drunken Admiral and sampling their delicious menu of seasonal, local produce for yourself.
More info: www.drunkenadmiral.com.au
