Whole river trout with lemon myrtle butter

Sprinkled with trout roe and drizzled with a superb lemon myrtle butter, river trout is a mild fish with soft flesh, perfect baked whole or on the barbie.

Credit: Danielle Abou Karam

• serves

  6

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 4 whole plate-size rainbow trout or brown trout, butterflied
• 250 g butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp lemon myrtle powder or flakes, to taste
• large pinch salt flakes
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 100 g trout roe or smoked trout roe
• picked purslane or watercress, to serve

Instructions

1. Place an oven rack over 2 gas burners and heat over medium heat. Alternatively, preheat a char-grill pan or barbeque.
2. Place the trout on the rack, cover with another rack and cook, skin–side down until the skin is golden and the flesh is nearly cooked. Turn and cook for another minute or until cooked, then remove from the heat.
3. Meanwhile, place the butter, lemon myrtle, salt, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a small saucepan over low heat.  Gently heat until almost melted, then remove from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the roe.
4. To serve, place the trout on a serving plate and peel off the skin. Spoon the butter all over the top, followed by the remaining trout roe and picked purslane.

 

Photography by Danielle Abou Karam.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.