Basque Style Trout With Herbs Recipes

ROAST TROUT WITH BACON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut bacon lengthwise in thin slivers, best done by rolling the slices as for a julienne, then slicing through the rolls. Put butter and oil in a baking dish large enough to hold fish. Place in oven until butter melts and starts to color. Lay bacon slivers in baking dish (don't worry if some break), return dish to oven and cook until bacon is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon to several thicknesses of paper towel, leaving fat in baking dish.
• Pat trout dry and season with salt and pepper. Place in baking dish and baste with hot fat. Roast for 10 minutes. Baste again. Break bacon into 1-inch pieces and scatter, along with lemon bits, over fish. Add chicken stock to baking dish. Roast for 5 minutes. Baste again and scatter with herbs. Roast 2 minutes more.
• Serve directly from dish, cutting along the back edge of the fish with a sharp knife, then lifting the top fillet off the bones onto a platter or dinner plate. Spoon pan juices over the fish. Remove the bones, head and tail. Serve bottom fillet, then repeat with second fish. Before discarding the heads, check to see if anyone wants to pick out the cheeks.

TROUT-IN-A-POUCH WITH FRESH HERBS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rinse fish well inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Place 1 fish in the center of each square of aluminum foil. Rub each fish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on both sides, then season the fish both inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities of each fish with lemon slices, 2 cloves of the sliced garlic, and 2 sprigs each of the rosemary, parsley, mint, and marjoram. Fold all of the edges of the foil upwards to create a bowl-shape, then drizzle each fish with 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil and 3 tablespoons each of the white wine. Fold the top and side edges together tightly so that the fish is completely enclosed in an airtight package. (Fold the edges downward so that the fish is tightly contained.)
• Place the pouches on a large baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through and flakes easily when pierced with a fork.
• Serve the fish immediately in shallow rimmed dinner plates or large shallow bowls, with the collected juices drizzled over the fish. Serve immediately.

BASQUE-STYLE TROUT WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Lay fish in one layer in oven-proof dish.
• Combine remaining ingredients, pour over fish, and let stand 30 minutes.
• Turn and marinate 15 minutes longer.
• Bake in preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes or until fish is firm to the touch.
• OR Freeze fish with marinade in zip-lock bag.
• Thaw and bake as above.

SIMPLE HERB-BAKED TROUT & HORSERADISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Lay the trout over a lightly oiled baking tray and stuff the fish cavity with slices of lemon and herbs. Season generously all over and drizzle with the remaining oil.
• Bake in the oven for 20 mins until the fish is cooked through - the eyes will have turned white and the flesh will be soft to touch. The trout can be served as they are with your favourite seasonal vegetables, but for an added extra touch, peel away the top layer of skin and grate over fresh horseradish before serving.