fresh fish

On a cool and crisp autumn night, it might seem strange to go for grilled rainbow trout. It seems more suited to a hot summer evening. But I was in the mood for it anyway. It’s a fantastic fish – healthy and oily, and doesn’t take much (a sprinkle of salt and a lemon wedge) to come out just right.

So what to serve alongside this fleshy pink fish? My first thought (and it’s always my first thought) is of roasted cherry tomatoes. They are just so packed with flavour and very low-cal. Roasted with some white wine vinegar, dried thyme and just a spray or two of olive oil, and then tipped onto some couscous with fresh parsley.

To complete the dish, grill some bell peppers – I used one red, one yellow, and one green. A few sprays of olive oil and a bit of lemon juice on the peppers, grilled for about 6 minutes on each side, will produce perfectly sweet peppers.

I’m happy with 50 g of couscous (dry weight) for myself, but allow 100 g for those with bigger appetites!

Grilled rainbow trout with roasted cherry tomatoes, couscous and grilled peppers

(serves 2)

2 fillets of rainbow trout, skin on

250 g cherry tomatoes, halved

3 bell peppers, deseeded and sliced thickly

150 g couscous

White wine vinegar

Olive oil spray

Juice of one lemon

½ tablespoon dried thyme

Fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

First weigh out the couscous and pour about 300 ml of cold water over it. Add the juice of ½ of a lemon. Allow it to sit for about 30 minutes, and if it needs more cold water, then add as necessary. (You can always drain any extra water.)

Place the cherry tomatoes, white wine vinegar, dried thyme and a few sprays of olive oil in a foil-lined roasting tin. Roast for about 30 minutes.

Prepare the peppers and spray olive oil and sprinkle lemon juice over. About 15 minutes after putting the cherry tomatoes in, preheat the grill and place the peppers underneath. They’ll need about 10-15 minutes.

Turn the peppers halfway through and allow space in the middle of the grill pan for the rainbow trout. Add the fish and grill for about 8 minutes.

Remove the cherry tomatoes and tip the mixture over the couscous. Mix together, adding the chopped parsley.

Pile the couscous onto individual plates. Add the fish over the couscous, and surround with the grilled peppers. Serve immediately.