Tom Kitchin's poached whole sea trout
Recipe: Poached whole sea trout
Poaching an egg might seem like second nature to many of us, but poaching is a cooking technique that can actually be applied to lots of different dishes. A few things are essential when poaching fish. The first thing is to be extra careful with your timing. Also ensure that you gently simmer the liquid to avoid overcooking or breaking the fish. Check that the fish is poached right through before you remove it from the cooking stock – it should feel firm to the touch. Poaching can work equally well with chicken, whether you’re cooking a whole bird or cuts. The low temperature and moist-heat preparation method cooks the chicken gently and prevents it from overcooking too quickly – you’ll find the result is a really tender, juicy meat. Adding herbs and spices to your poaching liquid can also bring so much incredible flavour to the result.
Ingredients
- 1 whole sea trout
- 1 litre water
- 1 bouquet garni (see below)
- 1 stick celery – washed and chopped
- 2 carrots – peeled and chopped
- 2 shallots – peeled and chopped
- 5 whole black peppercorns
- 100ml white wine vinegar
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- For the bouquet garni
- 2 leek leaves, washed
- handful of parsley sprigs
- handful of thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
Serves: 4 Difficulty: Medium Time to cook: 60 mins
Method
To make the bouquet garni, lay one leek leaf flat on a board, put the herb sprigs and bay leaf on top and cover with the other leek leaf. Tie with kitchen string to secure and use as required.
To make the stock, pour the water into a heavy-bottomed dish or large pot. Add the bouquet garni, celery, carrots, shallots, peppercorns, white wine vinegar, star anise and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, skim off any scum and reduce the heat until the stock is simmering. Leave to simmer for about 40 minutes.
Add the whole trout and – depending on the size of the fish – poach gently for 10-12 minutes, keeping it at a gentle simmer. Take the pot off the heat and allow the fish to cool in the pot before serving.