Fish on the Bone: Recipe for Oriental Baked Trout

I love cooking whole fish on the bone. I feel slightly cheated when I get a small skinned fillet in restaurants! Where's the rest? I know some cannot be served on the bone or as steaks as the bones can be fiddly but I reckon fish cooked on the bone retains lots of moisture and seem to me to be tastier.  But that's just me!

I also don't like fish to be battered in something that really is a vehicle for fat. Some batter can taste amazing and there is a great deal of satisfaction in the crunch but it should only be a treat not an every day event. Baking, steaming and grilling are the healthiest ways to cook fish and keep all it's flavour and succulence.

I bought this beautiful Rainbow Trout recently from the market for only $7 -Bargain! It was huge and almost too much for 3 hungry people!

When you buy fresh fish it is most important that it looks shiny and healthy. It should not smell too fishy and the eyes have to be bright and clear and bulging [if they look sunken in and dull or grey then they are not fresh]. Most of the time with the fish being behind a counter, you cannot ask to probe and feel the flesh to see if it is firm or check whether the gills are pink/red [which is another indication of freshness]. So check for the eyes!

When I got this trout home I washed it thoroughly under running cold water and then placed several slits along the body with a sharp knife. Here is the recipe for my Oriental Baked Trout:

Ingredients: Rainbow trout
                  1 lemon
                  Knob of ginger peeled and finely sliced into match sticks
                  Spring Onions and/ or fresh herb e.g. parsley/coriander
                  Equal measures of Soya Sauce [reduced salt preferably], Fish Sauce 
                  and Rice wine vinegar
                  Black Pepper

Serve with : Plain White/Brown Basmati Rice
                   Wilted Greens/Bok Choy/Choi Sum 
                    - garnished with slithers of roasted almonds [optional]
                      and Sesame Oil to drizzle on top for flavour [also optional]
                 
Line the baking dish/tray with foil. Make a bed for the trout with herbs, spring onions and slices of lemon. Pop the fish on the bed. Fill the cavity with rest of spring onions and lemons. Place half of the ginger in the slits. Then pour over the mix of soy, fish sauce and vinegar keeping back enough for a dip [it helps to make a batch enough for drowning the fish and keeping some back for later as a lot of this will evaporate during the baking].
Tightly seal the dish with a cover of foil and set aside. You can do this in advance and leave in the fridge before your guests arrive. But remember to take it out as when you are ready to cook the fish should be at room temperature.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C [fan assisted] or 200 degrees [normal]. Pop in the fish and ignore for 20min. It will steam and bake in the marinade.Meanwhile cook some Basmati rice. After 20min take the fish out and remove the foil cover. Check the flesh - Once the flesh goes from translucent to opaque it should be done. Leave in for another 10min if you think it needs longer otherwise pop under the grill to crisp up the skin for about 5 - 10 min. Don't over cook the trout as it will taste dry.

While this is finishing off boil the kettle and then put this water in a pan on the stove to steam some Greens/Bok choy/Choi sum in a colander. When they wilt place the greens on a dish to serve and lightly drizzle with soya sauce, sesame oil and some slithers of roasted almonds [if you have it].

Season the fish with black pepper and a tablespoon of the marinade. Serve it with a garnish of any remaining spring onions and fresh ginger. Pop the dipping sauce into a pot for the table [which is the left over marinade] and serve the Rice and the Green Veg. A tasty healthy meal meant to be had fresh on the day you get that fish home from the market!

Nutritional points:
The Rainbow trout is a sustainable oily fish [it has fish oil through its flesh and skin and not mainly in its liver like non-oily fish e.g. Cod]. This means that it is a great source of polyunsaturated fats especially Omega 3. These fatty acids [one of which is essential i.e. it cannot be made in our bodies and have to come from our diet] are now known to be extremely good for us. Omega 3 is known to reduce triglycerides in our blood thus reducing the risk of heart disease. They reduce the risk of arrhythmia's [irregular heart beats], slow the growth of atherosclerotic plaques [which clog our arteries and result in heart attacks] and lower high blood pressure. Cooked this way you are getting all the good protein and fats from the fish and no saturated fats as there is none in the fish and I haven't added any!

Spring greens/ Chinese vegetables wilted very quickly should retain some crunch as long as you don't over cook them. They should still be vibrant in colour and therefore keep most of their Vitamins. Vitamin C in such vegetables tend to evaporate with over cooking. These veg will also give you fibre which is very important in your diet to make you feel full, help with digestion and for good gut health.

What else? Oh yes the ginger - it is anti-inflammatory, prevents motion sickness and helps digestion too! hmm who knew?

ahh Fish and Rice! Add some fresh green chillies and it is the ultimate combo for a girl like me! Nom Nom Nom! Enjoy!