Griddled Trout with Herbs

This is grilled trout at its most honest: a whole fish, a sprig of rosemary laid down the middle, and a green herb butter doing all the seasoning. The herb blend nods to what cooks in Anglo-Saxon East Anglia would have had on hand, but the method bends happily to whatever is growing in your garden.

The magic is in the butter. Mash chopped sage, thyme and a generous fistful of mint into softened butter with coarse sea salt and cracked pepper, then smear it over both sides of the fish. As it meets the heat the butter melts and runs off, which is exactly why you baste with those drippings: they keep the flesh moist and build a browned, herb-flecked skin.

You’re aiming for skin that’s well browned and flesh that flakes cleanly off the bone, roughly four to five minutes a side. Serve it straight off the griddle with crusty bread and a green salad.

Chef Tips

• Pat the trout dry before buttering. Dry skin browns and crisps, while a wet surface steams and sticks to the grill.
• Slash the thickest part of each fish once or twice so the heat reaches the bone evenly and the fish cooks through without drying the thin belly.
• Keep basting with the run-off butter. That’s where all the herb flavor pools, and it stops a lean fish from going dry.

Variations

• Swap the mint and sage for dill, parsley and a squeeze of lemon for a cleaner, brighter finish.
• No griddle on hand? This works just as well over charcoal or under a hot broiler.