Chive Butter Sauce with Pan-Fried Trout

Ingredients

• 60 g Chives, roughly chopped
• 4 River trout fillets, skin on, pin-bonedor use sea trout or salmon fillets
• 120 g Unsalted butter, cold, cut into 2cm cubes
• 100 ml Dry white wineor use fish or vegetable stock
• 2 Shallot, finely diced
• 50 ml Double cream
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 pinch White pepper

Contains: fish, milk, sulphites.

Method

1. Pat the trout fillets dry with kitchen paper and season the flesh side with salt and white pepper. Set aside at room temperature while you make the sauce.About 2 min
2. Put the diced shallots and white wine in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Simmer until the wine has reduced to about 2 tablespoons and the shallots are soft, about 4 minutes.About 4 min
3. Add the double cream to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to very low, then whisk in the cold butter cubes a few pieces at a time, waiting for each addition to melt before adding the next. The sauce should be glossy and emulsified.About 4 min
4. Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the chopped chives and half the lemon juice. Use a stick blender to blitz the sauce until smooth and vivid green, about 20 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm by setting the pan in a bowl of hot water.About 2 min
5. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil. Place the trout fillets skin-side down and press each fillet gently with a spatula for the first 30 seconds to prevent curling. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp, and the flesh has turned opaque three-quarters of the way up the fillet.About 4 min
6. Flip the fillets and cook flesh-side down for just 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to warmed plates, skin-side up. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice into the chive butter sauce, stir, and spoon generously over and around each fillet. Serve immediately.About 1 min