Serves 4

Brown Butter Beurre Blanc

60 g butter
125 ml (1/2 cup) La Motte MCC
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig flat leaf parsley
10 peppercorns
1 slither lemon peel
180 ml (3/4 cup) fresh cream
sea salt flakes, to taste

15 ml (1 tablespoon) olive oil 
4 (180 g) skin-on trout fillets
a small bunch of chives, finely chopped, to finish
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place the butter in a small saucepan, over a medium heat. Once melted, turn the heat up and let it splutter away until nutty and golden colour. Pour the butter into a bowl and set aside.

To the same pan, add the La Motte MCC, thyme, parsley and peppercorns. Bring the liquid up to the boil over a medium heat and reduce until you’re left with about 30 ml. Add the cream, return to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes.

Whisk in the brown butter and season cautiously with salt. Pour the sauce through a fine strainer, discarding the solids. Place a sheet of clingfilm directly onto the sauce to prevent a skin forming.

Heat 15 ml olive oil in a wide based pan. Season the trout lightly on one side only (flesh side), with salt and black pepper.

Lay the trout in the pan, skin side down. Cook, without turning, until the skin is golden and crisp. Turn gently and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the fish to a plate.

When ready to serve, spoon about 50 ml of beurre blanc onto each plate. Place the fish on top and scatter with pangratto and chives.

Simple Pangrattato

30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil

150 g (2 cups) day-old breadcrumbs (sourdough or ciabatta)

zest of 1 lemon

several sprigs thyme, leaves picked

1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped

sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

For the pangrattato, heat the oil in a wide based pan. Add the breadcrumbs and toast over a medium heat until golden, 12-15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and toast for another minute or two. Set aside to cool and crisp up.