Whole Rainbow Trout Recipe
Ever go fishing and then look for ideas of how to cook the fish you just caught? You could oven bake them or fry them in oil, but how trying something different?
This whole fish recipe wrapped in a foil parcel was made with wild trout caught at our summer dacha. Dachas are very common in Russian and in former Soviet states. A dacha (дача) doesn't have an exact translation from Russian to English. The closest explanation is a Russian summer cottage that is used by city dwellers as an escape from the city life.
Dacha's almost always have a garden, that allows the owners to grow vegetables, many of which are preserved to eat during the long Russian winters (think dill pickles or sauerkraut). Northern hemisphere summers are short in months, but have very long days. It's not uncommon for the sun to set at 10pm, which allows for a shorter growing period. Growing food at the dacha was a necessity for many during the Soviet period.
We were fortunate to visit a dacha, make this rainbow trout recipe and eat fresh fruit and veggies from the garden. There is nothing like garden to plate, when you are standing in a garden, on your way to the kitchen, out in the countryside. Garden fresh veggies have so much flavour, store-bought food tastes like cardboard in comparison.
How to make Fish Parcels
I love cooking fish parcels over hot coals. We also made vegetable parcels with fresh veggies picked from the garden. Onions, zucchini, carrots, garlic and red peppers, chives, potatoes, spices and butter wrapped in foil. My brother-in-law caught the fresh rainbow trout, and cleaned out the guts for me (thank you!). To make fish parcels, just add butter, chives, garlic and lemon and wrap it tightly.
I think getting the coals lit and hot enough were the hardest part of the night (which was my job). It's a great fish recipe when camping. But you can bake these parcels in the oven at home. Make them the same way, just place them into the oven for about 20 minutes until they are cooked. The thinner the fish, the faster it will cook.
This Fish Parcel Trout Recipe is so easy to make with garlic, butter, lemon and chives. A perfect camping recipe or just pop it into the oven or bbq, instead over hot coals. Start cooking the vegetable parcels first, because they take longer to cook, so your meals will be ready at the same time. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Trout Fish Parcels with Lemon and Chives
Ingredients
- 4-6 small trout cleaned (head removed)
- 2 lemons 1 sliced and 1 squeezed
- approx ½ cup butter cubed
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 handful of chives chopped
- salt and pepper
Vegetable Parcel Ingredients
- 1 mix of zucchini, carrots, onion capsicum chopped
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 2-3 medium potatoes sliced into thin wedges
- approx ½ cup butter cubed
- garnish with chives
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Fish Parcels
- Arrange charcoal briquettes into a pyramid and light according to instructions. After approx 10-15 minutes when the charcoal is white, it's ready to be spread evenly for cooking. Alternatively, preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Prepare the lemons, cutting 1 in half and the 2nd into slices and set aside. Do not squeeze the lemon on the trout until you are fully prepped and ready to put your parcels together for cooking, otherwise the acids in the lemons will start cooking the trout.
- Prepare the butter, garlic and chives and set aside.
- Prepare foil into square pieces several inches larger than the fish. Use a thick foil, otherwise use 2 pieces of foil.
- Squeeze the lemon into the insides of the fish. Lightly salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chives and garlic slices inside the trout cavity. Add several cubes of butter per fish.
- Place a single fish in the centre of the foil and place 2-3 slices of lemon on the skin side of the trout. Fold the foil loosely, crimping the edges together, and folding until you make a packet.
- Place over the hot charcoals, or inside the oven on a baking sheet, for about 15 -20 minutes. The trout is ready when the flesh is opaque and it flakes easily with a fork.
Vegetable Parcels
- Prepare the vegetables and butter. Ensure the potatoes are sliced in thin wedges, otherwise they will be too thick to cook in time.
- Prepare foil into large square pieces. Use a thick foil, otherwise use 2 pieces of foil.
- Place a mixture of vegetables in the centre of the foil, place several cubes of butter and garnish with chives. Salt and pepper to taste. Fold the foil loosely, crimping the edges together, and folding until you make a packet.
- Place over the charcoal briquettes, or inside the oven on a baking sheet. Cooking time for vegetables varies on the thickness and hardness of the vegetables. Cook for approx 30 minutes, but check at the 20 minute mark if vegetables are well done or crisp, as per your preference.
This is my kind of meal! We have a big garden at home but unfortunately the season is coming to an end for the tomatoes. It was an incredibly hot summer. At least I have the fall veggies to still plant and loom forward to. My husband tried to catch so e trout when we were up in the mountains but didn't get any big enough to keep. Your meal look incredible.
Thanks Gretchen! There's nothing like fresh produce and fresh fish together! ????
Everything looks so fresh and delicious. I can imagine the wonderful aroma when you open the parcels... 🙂
Thanks! Yes! The freshness and aroma was absolutely amazing! 🙂 I still dream about it!!!!
Beautiful and sounds delicious!
Thanks Lynz! It was a highlight of the trip!
I am sure!