Trout stuffed and wrapped in lettuce leaves

This recipe for stuffed trout is interesting in that not only is the trout cooked with stuffing, but the trout is also wrapped in a lettuce package.  It makes an excellent starter or a supper dish.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 25 Mins

Total Time: 40 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

16 leaves         Lettuce  - Cos, large  

4 fillets            Trout        

1 tbs               Rosemary  - chopped

                      Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

60 gms            Butter       

For the stuffing

30 gms            Butter       

1                    Onion  - small, chopped finely  

½ bulb            Fennel  - chopped finely         

110 gms          Mushrooms  - button, chopped finely      

1 tbs               Almonds  - flaked, toasted      

3 tbs               Breadcrumbs  - white 

                      Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

                      Salt          

Method

To make the stuffing…

Melt the butter in a pan and add the onion and fennel.  Cook until soft.  Stir in the mushrooms and cook for a further minute.  Add the almonds and then place in a bowl with the breadcrumbs and seasoning.  Mix well and leave to cool.

To prepare and cook the fish…

Blanch the lettuce leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds.  Remove and plunge into cold water.  Drain and pat each leaf dry.

Place 4 lettuce leaves side by side on a clean work surface. Carefully cut out the stalks at the stem end.  Place a fillet of trout on top and spoon over a little of the stuffing.

Sprinkle over a little rosemary and season with pepper.  Wrap up to enclose completely with the eaves.  Repeat with remaining 3 fillets.

Place on a baking tray and brush with melted butter.  Cook at 200°C for 12 minutes.

Wine recommendations

A robust white wine or light red.

Conventional

     Côtes du Rhône blanc

Interesting

     Menetou-Salon rouge

     Vouvray blanc

Special

     Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc