BAKED WHOLE BRITISH TROUT WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE AND DILL HOLLANDAISE

Baked whole British trout with fennel and orange and dill hollandaise. This stunning seasonal recipe has been created by chef Tim Maddams. Use a large whole trout or one small trout per person.

Recipe courtesy British Trout Association

Preheat oven to 180C.

Serves: 4-6

Cooking and prep time: About 40 minutes

Skill level: Medium

Ingredients

1 Large British trout (or 1 small trout per person)
½ bulb of fennel, sliced
1 bulb of garlic, sliced through the middle (or use a small bunch of wild garlic leaves)
A few fennel seeds
50ml dry vermouth
1 small orange, sliced
6 fresh bay leaves
Salt and pepper

Dill hollandaise

1 egg yolk
1 dessertspoon of cider or white wine vinegar
40ml warm water
150g melted, warm but not hot butter
Pinch salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbsp dill, chopped

Method

• Slash the trout across the body and place in a large roasting tin, lined with parchment paper overhanging the sides so you can wrap the fish.
• Stuff half the fennel, orange and garlic into the cavity of the trout, scatter the remaining ingredients all over the trout and season well.
• Wrap in the paper and then seal the top of the roasting tin with tin foil so that no steam can escape.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes until the flesh is firm then allow to rest for 5 minutes.

For the dill hollandaise

• Whisk the ingredients, except for the butter, in a ceramic bowl and place over a pan of simmering water on a low heat.
• Keep whisking for 3-5 minutes until thickened and the whisk leaves ribbons when dragged through it.
• Remove from the heat and slowly start adding the warm melted butter a little at a time and carry on whisking until thick.
• Season with salt, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and add the chopped dill.
• Serve with steaming pieces of the baked trout.