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The subject of killing fish is an emotive one, I have known anglers almost come to blows over the subject. I kill fish, for me it is a part of my sport. I don't kill many, by far the majority of my catch is returned but occasionally I want to take a fish. When deciding whether or not to take a fish I apply two personal rules. First and foremost the fishery must be able to sustain the loss of that fish. Secondly I must be sure that I can do justice to the fish by producing a good meal for me, family or friends. I think there is anything more damaging to our sport than the thought of fish being killed for nothing more than a trophy or a weigh in. When I kill a fish I feel I have a duty to produce a worthy meal from it.
So, with that in mind, I thought it might be worthwhile to post a few recipes that have served me well over the years. I have always cooked a bit, from an early age under the tutelage of my Mother, but I am no chef, so don't expect anything to cordon bleu. I am not claiming ownership of any of these recipes, I may well have unwittingly robbed them from any of a number of sources. So first up - Thai Style Trout:
I first tried this recipe with fillets of bass but I prefer it with trout.
1. Finely slice garlic, ginger and deseeded chillies, amounts can vary to taste, but I usually go for 2-3 cloves of garlic, 4 cm of ginger and 1/2 to 1 chilli depending on how adventurous I am feeling.
2. Add the chopped goodies to a good glug (is that a culinary term?) of soy sauce and a splash of rice wine vinegar. This is the marinade / cooking sauce for the fish.
3. I usually go for a trout of a couple of pounds in weight, cleaned and slice the flesh 3 times on each side, I am told this helps the fish cook evenly, I don't know, but it certainly helps the marinade seep into the fish. Place the fish on a sheet of foil and pour the marinade over it and into the cavity. Fold the foil to form a loose, watertight parcel.
4. I leave that for a couple of hours before baking in the oven - time and temperatures dependant on the fish size. 25-30 mins at 200c should do for that 2 pounder.
5. I like to open the parcel at the table and take the fish off the bone. Serve with some stir fried veggies and some sticky rice. Spoon the cooking liquor and chilli / garlic / ginger over the fish.
If you like the sound of that why not give it a go? Let me know what you think, better still if you have a favourite recipe why not share it? Email me (info@adventureflyfishing.co.uk) and I will post it in a future blog.
Enjoy.
