WHOLE, CITUSY ROASTED TROUT (En Papillotte)

I've made this recipe a few times, either with the fish arranged in a baking dish or sealed up in parchment and aluminium foil parcels. There is something about the parcels which better seals in the flavour and enhances the taste of the fish. If you make the recipe in a baking pan, add a little water or wine to the pan and cover the top while cooking. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 whole trout cleaned by the fishmonger. 

2 Yukon gold potatoes 

2 cubanelle peppers (Italian frying peppers) 

two sprigs of rosemary 

1 orange 

1lemon 

1 lime 

1 onion 

olive oil 

dill leaves 

parsley leaves

2 cloves of garlic, chopped well, divided

freshly ground black pepper 

salt

 

DIRECTIONS:

·        Preheat the oven to 400° F / 200° C. Wash the fish thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels.  

·        Prepare parchment paper and aluminium foil sections large enough to accommodate each fish. Spread out both sections of the aluminium foil and top it with the two sections of parchment paper. 

·        Slice the orange, lemon, lime, onion, cubanelles and potatoes into rondelles. 

·        Season the potatoes and cubanelles with salt, pepper, one chopped clove of garlic and two tablespoons of olive oil. Divide into two portions and place one portion onto the centre of each parchment paper. Top with a sprig of rosemary. 

·        In a small bowl mix the rest of the garlic, the dill, parsley, black pepper and just a little salt. 

·      Season the fish with the oil mixture, using it to cover both the cavities and the outside of the fish.   

·        Place the onion and citrus slices into the fish cavities. 

·        Place each fish on top of the potatoes and peppers. 

·        Make two well-sealed parcels by folding the parchment over the fish and then folding the aluminium paper over the parchment. 

·        Place onto a roasting pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. The fish is done when its flesh appears opaque. 

·        You could allow the top of the fish to brown if you so wish. In that case, cook in opened parcels for a further five minutes (or more), depending on personal preference. 

·        Remove the fish from the oven and place it on a serving platter alongside the potatoes and cubanelle peppers. 

·        Drizzle the cooking juices and some olive oil on the top of the trout. Keep warm while allowing the fish to rest for five to ten minutes before serving. Allowing to rest assures that the cooking juices drizzled on top will be absorbed into the flesh of the fish.