Ode to trout

Ingredients

½ portion of sourdough pastry

Plain flour, for dusting

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 tablespoon milk

For the filling

400g (14oz) wild trout fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

150g (5½oz) basmati and wild rice mixture

300ml (10fl oz) fish stock

150ml (5fl oz) white wine

A small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped dill

Zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½

70g (2½oz) dried sour cherries

Salt and freshly ground

Black pepper

For the salad

½ cucumber, thinly sliced

¼ onion, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped dill, plus extra to garnish

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

100g (3½oz) soured cream

Method

Heat the grill to hot, brush the trout fillets with 1 tablespoon of the oil and grill for 5 minutes on each side. Remove the skin (if on), flake the flesh and remove any bones. Set aside.

In a pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, add the onion, garlic and rice and cook over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Add the fish stock and wine, cover with a lid wrapped in a tea towel and cook for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Add the chopped parsley, dill, lemon zest and juice, and plenty of salt and pepper. Leave to cool.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Make a fish-shaped template out of paper. Dust a work surface with flour, then roll out half the sourdough pastry into a large rectangle that will fit on your baking tray.

Cut around the fish template and transfer the fish-shaped pastry to the baking tray. Spread the flaked trout down the middle of the pastry fish, leaving space around the edge. Top with the rice mixture, shaping it so that it is rounded at the top.

Finish with the sour cherries as a final layer on the top.

Roll out the remaining pastry and use the fish template to cut out a pastry fish that is 2cm (¾in) wider than the base. Moisten the edge of the pastry base with a little water, then carefully lift the larger fish lid over the top to encase the filling. Press the edges together to seal and then crimp the edges. You can now add some fish markings to your lid if you like. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.

For the salad, pat the cucumber dry using a clean tea towel to remove any moisture and put the cucumber and onion in a bowl with the salt and dill. Mix together the vinegar and soured cream in a separate bowl, and then combine with the cucumber and onion. Cover and leave to chill in the fridge for about 1 hour. Season with black pepper and more dill to garnish. Combine the melted butter and milk in a small bowl. Brush the pie with the butter mixture to make a glaze.

To finish the pie, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Bake the pie for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. If it starts to go too brown, simply cover with a sheet of foil. Serve hot or cold in slices with the cucumber salad.

This recipe is from Pieminister: Live and Eat Pie by Tristan Hogg & Jon Simon.

If you liked this recipe, check out the Braised Beef & Mulled Wine Festive Pasties from Piper’s Farm: The Sustainable Meat Cookbook by Abby Allen & Rachel Lovell