“One of my favourite supper dishes is my gin and tonic salmon, which matches herbs and botanicals with the delicate flavours of the fish,” says TV chef and restaurateur, Nisha Katona. “It set me thinking about other herbal combinations to complement fish and in a flash of inspiration, I realised that the pungently aromatic herbs of Thailand – galangal, makrut (kaffir) lime, lemongrass – might be the perfect foil for the oily flesh of trout.”
In this case, tequila works beautifully. “An elegant dish for a summer’s evening. A tequila soda and lime on the side is entirely optional, but advised.”
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
4 whole rainbow trout, gutted and cleaned
250ml soda water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the marinade:
4tbsp tequila
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
3 garlic cloves, crushed
A small chunk of galangal, peeled and grated
1 lemongrass stalk, finely shredded
6 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, finely shredded
1⁄2 red chilli, finely diced
1tsp ground coriander
To serve:
A handful of fresh coriander
Flaky sea salt
Lime wedges
Cooked rice
Method
1. The night before you want to cook the dish, marinate the fish. Put all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread a quarter of the mixture inside each trout, then put the trout in a large baking dish and pour over the soda water. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
2. The next day, remove the fish from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ Gas 6. Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and cooked through.
3. If the sauce has not reduced sufficiently, remove the fish to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Tip all the juices from the pan into a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Let the liquid bubble over the heat until it has reduced to a sticky sauce.
4. Serve the trout with the sauce poured over the top and a scattering of fresh coriander leaves. Sprinkle with flaky salt and provide limes on the side, as is obligatory with your tequila. Serve with rice.
BOLD: Big Flavour Twists to Classic Dishes by Nisha Katona is published by Nourish Books, priced £30. Photography by Martin Poole. Available now