Lennox Hastie’s grilled rainbow trout with seaweed butter

Rainbow trout is a jewel of the water. A beautiful fish to eat, with a delicate, almost buttery flesh revealed upon cooking.

Grilled fish and salad by Lennox Hastie. Photo: Nikki To

Surrounded by trees rich with autumnal hues of copper and gold, I cast my line into a dark Scottish loch, where the whispering waters seem to hold the ­secrets of the world.

Fly-fishing is a unique relationship with ­nature, where the repeated act of casting and retrieving the line through your fingertips ­becomes almost meditative. As I stand poised for a fish to strike, I am reminded to stop and appreciate the little things, recognising that everything is intrinsically interconnected. From the fisherman’s selection of the “fly” – the lure – to the rhythm of the cast and the subtle twitch that mimics a struggling insect, every move resonates like a ripple on the water’s surface. It’s an art that requires some degree of prowess and a considerable amount of practice – something I was in short supply of on my maiden ­fly-fishing trip recently. Fortunately, I was in good hands – my ghillie (guide) was Dennis McBain, the charismatic 79-year-old coppersmith from Balvenie distillery and an avid fisherman. Timing, he told me, is everything. Playing a hooked trout requires patience, ­allowing the fish to tire itself out while maintaining constant pressure on the line. Now constant pressure and patience I know all too well, and, with a touch of beginner’s luck, I managed to land three trout that morning ­despite my inability to cast gracefully.

With its iridescent skin, rainbow trout is a jewel of the water, elegantly darting through its native habitat. It is also a beautiful fish to eat, with a delicate, almost buttery flesh that is revealed upon cooking. The decision to grill, roast or steam sets off a chain reaction of changes in texture and taste, while selecting a particular ingredient or adding a pinch of spice or a squeeze of lemon sends ripples through the entire recipe, altering the final outcome in ways both delightful and unexpected. Butterflying a trout is a technique that involves removing the backbone and opening the fillets like a butterfly’s wings, making the fish easier to grill. As the skin bubbles and caramelises, it absorbs a touch of fragrant smoke from the open fire. A light cure of salt, sugar, lemon zest and juniper enables the fish’s inherent sweetness to shine through.

I like to serve grilled trout with a simple seaweed butter, combining creamy unsalted butter with the salty notes of wakame. Toasting the nori provides a crisp texture and adds a delicious nutty flavour. Zesty lemon and parsley bring life to the butter, which adds a luscious sheen to the fish. A seasonal salad of peppery watercress and fragrant nectarines is perfect for a light lunch or as a side to accompany the fish. Slices of fennel and golden beetroot bring a subtle earthy sweetness, while the buttermilk and horseradish deliver a tangy finish.

If you like this, try:

• Lennox Hastie’s showstopper sherry trifle
• Lennox Hastie’s perfect roast chook
• Elizabeth Hewson’s lemon and herb crusted trout

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Grilled rainbow trout with seaweed butter

Ingredients

1 whole rainbow trout (450g-500g), gutted and wiped clean

Zest ½ lemon

1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed

10g sugar

10g salt

120g unsalted butter at room temperature

20g shallots, finely diced

20g wakame

1 sheet nori, lightly toasted and chopped

Sea salt, to taste

Zest and juice ½ lemon

Handful parsley, finely chopped

1. To butterfly the trout, use a sharp knife to make an incision along the top of the fish, on one side of the backbone. Following this line, run your knife horizontally from the head to the tail, gently separating the flesh from the spine as you go. Turn the fish and repeat on the other side. Using scissors, cut the backbone free behind the head and at the base of the tail, enabling you to easily remove the backbone while retaining the head and the tail which hold the fish together during cooking. Open the trout like a book, so that the fish now lies flat with the flesh on one side and the skin on the other. Trim the belly, carefully removing all the bones from the belly cavity. Gently run a finger along the flesh to locate the pin bones, using tweezers or needle-nose pliers to remove.
2. Place trout skin side down on a tray. Combine the salt, sugar, lemon zest and juniper in a bowl, then scatter the mixture over the trout. Cover and refrigerate for 12-15 minutes to lightly cure. Rinse and pat dry.
3. Meanwhile make the seaweed butter. Soak the wakame in tepid water for a few minutes, whereupon the leaves will expand in size. Drain and finely chop.
4. Over a medium heat, melt 20g of the butter in a small pan and sweat the diced shallot for 5 minutes until soft. Allow to cool and then combine with the wakame, nori, parsley, lemon, and remaining butter. Mix well and season to taste before placing on greaseproof paper and wrapping into a cylinder shape. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to set before slicing into rounds.
5. Fire up the grill to a moderate heat, and lay the trout gently upon it, skin-side down. Grill the trout for about 4-5 minutes until the skin turns crispy and golden, turning the fish for the last 30 seconds to just set the protein. Carefully remove to a clean tray to rest, placing the slices of butter on top of the fish. Serves 2