GRILLED TROUT WITH CUCUMBER & DILL

SERVES
1 cucumber, peeled 30g (10z) butter small bunch dill, chopped salt and black pepper juice of 1 lemon 4 × 375-425g (12 – 14oz) trout, cleaned dill sprigs and fresh chives to garnish dill cream sauce to serve.
1- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, then cut the flesh across into 5mm (¼in) slices. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the cucumber, and cook gently for 2 minutes.
2- In a bowl, combine two-thirds of the cooked cucumber with the chopped dill, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Stuff the trout with the mixture.
3- Line a grill pan with foil. Arrange the trout on the foil, and put the remaining cucumber around them.
4- Grill the trout under a hot grill, 10cm (4in) from the heat, for 4-7 minutes on each side until the flesh flakes easily.
5- Garnish the trout with dill sprigs and fresh chives, and serve at once, with dill cream sauce handed separately.

DILL CREAM SAUCE
Puree 300ml (½pint) single cream, 90g (30z) butter, 1 egg yolk, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1tsp plain flour in a food processor until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and will coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste, than stir in 2tbsp chopped fresh dill and 1tbsp snipped fresh chives.

Trout with almonds
Dip the trout in seasoned flour. Melt 60g (20z) butter in a large frying pan, and cook the trout, in batches if necessary, for 6-8 minutes on each side until the fish is opaque and the flesh flakes easily. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm. Wipe the pan, melt 15g (½oz) butter, and fry 60g (20z) flaked almonds until lightly browned. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, then pour the lemon and almond mixture over the trout. Serve at once.