Irish Trout; the ultimate addition to the festive menu

With Christmas round the corner, people will be turning their minds to the all-important festive menu. This festive season, there’s more need than ever to make the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ extra special and Irish trout will prove a spectacular addition to the table; whether within canapés or as a show-stopping starter.

Fish and seafood often take centre-stage on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and with culinary experimentation and ‘small luxuries’ on the rise following two lockdowns, this year these ingredients are set to be more popular than ever.

Irish trout tastes fresh and luxurious; exactly what people associate with Christmas time. What’s more, it is a hugely versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in a variety of tasty formats: from cold-smoked Irish trout, to trout caviar and even trout pâté.

Lockdown has seen people having to expand their home cooking repertoire and become more creative in the kitchen. Research has found that with some people managing to save more money – due to limiting spend on holidays, travel and eating out – there’s an appetite to ‘trade up’ for higher-quality produce and adopt a ‘treat yourself’ mentality.

Beyond Christmas, Irish trout is the perfect addition to shopping trolleys for those looking to eat healthier in the new year. Packed full of protein and healthy fats, it’s the ideal treat that tastes indulgent, but won’t ruin your new year diet.

Irish trout can be used as the hero ingredient in a range of delicious recipes:

Smoked Trout and Potato Gratin

Ingredients:

200g/8oz Cold Smoked Trout (we recommend Goatsbridge Cold-Smoked Trout from Sainsbury’s)

8-10 Medium Sized Potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 tsp. Fennel Seeds

Small handful fresh Tarragon, chopped

250mls/9fl. oz. Cream

Handful Cheddar Cheese, grated

25g/1oz Parmesan

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Bring a pot of water to the boil then add the sliced potatoes. Simmer for approximately seven minutes until parboiled. Strain, then spread half the potatoes in a layer, slightly over-lapping, at the bottom of a greased ovenproof dish (standard lasagne dish will do).

• Layer the slices of cold smoked trout over the potatoes. Season with pepper (no salt as the smoked trout is salty enough). Sprinkle fennel seeds and tarragon on top. Layer the second half of the sliced potatoes over the fish.

• Pour the cream over the whole dish. Sprinkle a generous amount of cheddar cheese on top and freshly grate over the Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. Take the tinfoil off after 20 minutes to let the cheese brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.