My poached trout with preserved lemon and fennel salad

This poached trout recipe is great when you are feeding a crowd especially as it can all be prepared the day before and then just effortlessly popped onto the platter before your guests arrive.

Ask your fishmonger to fillet a large trout, leaving the skin on and taking the bones from the middle for you. This is called pin boning.

Another handy hint is if you are preparing the trout as part of a buffet that has another protein dish, I normally work on about 100g per person, otherwise, allow for 200g per person.

YOU WILL NEED

1 fillet of trout, skin on and pin boned

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 celery stick and leaves, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 lemon, sliced

1 cup white wine

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

½ cup good quality whole egg mayonnaise

½ bunch dill, woody stalks removed and chopped finely.

Salad

3 fennel bulbs, finely sliced

1 bunch continental parsley, leaves picked

1 bunch dill, leaves picked

2 lemons, peeled and segmented

1/2 preserved lemon chopped

1 lemon

3 tablespoons of olive oil

METHOD

For the poached trout, fill a large baking dish or fish kettle with the water about halfway up the sides and add all of the veg, lemon, wine and aromatics. This is called a court bouillon.

Place the baking dish or kettle on your stovetop and bring to a boil.

Slide your fillet of fish carefully into the court bouillon skin side down and gently simmer for no longer than five minutes. Turn off the heat and cover with baking paper and foil. Cool in the stock for an hour or two or if you want to serve it cold refrigerate in the stock overnight.

For the salad

Toss together the fennel, picked herbs, fresh lemon segments and preserved lemon.

Dress the salad with lemon and olive oil at the last minute

Tip: if you have leftovers the trout is great rolled up in rice paper rolls with avocado and wasabi mayo or flaked through a salad with rocket, capers and steamed baby chats.