BARBECUED OCEAN TROUT WITH CUCUMBER AND LABNEH
Prep time 35 mins Cooking time 50 mins Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
1 ocean trout (2kg-2.5kg), cleaned, head and tail removed, halved Melted butter, for brushing LABNEH
300g natural yogurt 150ml extra-virgin olive oil SOURDOUGH STUFFING
200g rye sourdough, coarsely torn
100 butter
1 cup each coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and dill
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed CUCUMBER SALAD
2 telegraph cucumbers, half peeled, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced 60ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp non alcoholic white wine vinegar Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve ½ tsp black sesame seeds
1 cup each coarsely chopped mint and coriander
METHOD
For labneh, tip yogurt into a sieve lined with muslin cloth and set over a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight to drain. Place in a bowl, pour olive oil over and refrigerate until needed. For sourdough stuffing, preheat oven to 140°C, spread bread on a tray, place in oven to dry, stirring occasionally, 10-15 mins. Heat butter in a frying pan, add bread and stir until starting to toast, 2-4 mins, then stir in herbs, lemon and garlic and season to taste.
Place trout, skin-side down, on a board and spoon breadcrumb mixture on top. Sandwich with the other side, skin-side up, and tie with kitchen string at 10cm intervals. On overlapping sheets of foil, place a long sheet of buttered baking paper, buttered side up.
Place trout in the centre and put another piece of buttered baking paper on top, buttered side down (this stops the skin sticking to the foil and also colours the fish a little).
Wrap the foil around the trout to seal and barbecue over medium heat, carefully turning twice, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thicker end reads 50°C, or a metal skewer inserted for 20 seconds feels warm when touched to your lip, 20-30 mins.
For cucumber salad, combine cucumber, onion, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and sesame seeds in a bowl. Toss to dress and season to taste, then transfer to a serving bowl and scatter with herbs. Serve trout with salad and labneh.