Trout en papillote with smoked eel and seaweed butter

The ideal dish for lovers of camping and fishing, this recipe is perfect for freshly caught fish. Cooking en papillote produces moist and tender fish, and the smoked eel and seaweed butter pack a serious flavour punch.

Credit: A Girl's Guide To Hunting Fishing and Wild Cooking

• serves

  2

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 brown or rainbow trout (400-500 g), cleaned
• Salt
• 3 pink eye potatoes, boiled, and sliced into rounds
• ½ lemon, sliced into 5 mm rounds

For the smoked eel and seaweed butter

• 1 x 10 cm piece of smoked eel, deboned
• 50 g cultured butter, softened
• 1 tbsp wakame jam (see Note)

Instructions

1. To make the smoked eel and seaweed butter, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside until needed.
   
2. Season the fish cavity with salt. Place a sheet of foil on a flat working surface and cover with a layer of baking paper. Top with the sliced potatoes, followed by the fish. Pack the seaweed butter into the fish cavity and smear a little on the exterior of the fish.
   
3. Top the fish with the lemon slices, then wrap with the baking paper and foil to form an airtight parcel. Place the fish over a rack placed over hot coals, or onto a campfire oven and cook for around 15 minutes, turning the parcel halfway through the cooking time to cook evenly. Carefully remove from the rack or campfire, then open the parcel and serve.

Note

• To make the wakame jam, you will need 90 ml light soy sauce (use a gluten-free sauce if you need this jam to be gluten-free), 110 ml mirin, 850 ml water, 100 g dried wakame (preferably mekabu) and 40 g raw sugar.
• Heat the soy, mirin and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then add the seaweed, ensuring it is submerged, then remove from the heat and allow to rehydrate for 2 hours. Return the pan to low heat, covered, and braise the seaweed slowly for 1½ hours, until completely tender. Drain in a colander placed over a bowl (reserving the liquid).
• Finely chop or shred the wakame and return it to the pan with the braising liquid and the sugar. Cook for 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid reduces to a thick, glossy sauce. Remove from the heat, allow to cool and refrigerate. Use as needed.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 5 of A Girl's Guide To Hunting Fishing and Wild Cooking Season 2 streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.