Phil Vickery's fried brown trout with haddock
This week, Phil leaves behind the wilds of Shetland and heads off on a six hour ferry trip to Orkney. This group of 70 islands, of which only 20 are inhabited, sit closer to the Arctic Circle than they do to London. Phil revs up for a very unique tour , taking in some of the many distilleries as he tries to get his hands on a £25,000 bottle of whisky!! He swaps the open road for the freezing waters to track down some of the island's famous wildlife, before cooking up a loch side fish supper.
Pan fried brown trout with haddock and brown butter
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 x 750g brown trout, head removed, gutted and fins removed
Salt and pepper
100g natural smoked haddock, cut into 2cm strips
100g unsalted butter
1 small lemon
Method
1. Place the trout on a chopping board. Using your index finger push into the spine by the head end and gently run your finger down the spine releasing the rib bones and also the spine right down to the tail. Turn the trout over and do the same on the other side, then eventually you can remove the spine and rib bones all in one piece. Try and keep the fish whole as possible.
2. Season the trout really well inside with salt and pepper, then place the slices of haddock into the cavity and secure the belly closed with cocktail sticks if you can. Alternatively tie together with twine.
3. Heat the butter in a non-stick pan until just turning brown and season the trout well on the outside with salt and pepper.
4. Place the fish into the browning butter and gently cook for 6-8 minutes, then carefully turn over and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
5. Squeeze over the lemon, remove the pan from the heat cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Serve.