Trout with lovage, pea purée & crisp spring onions

• rainbow trout↗2

  cleaned (approx 340g)

• olive oil↗1-2 tsp tsp
• handful lovage

  leaves

• butter↗2 tsp tsp
• lemon↗½

  finely sliced

• rice flour↗1 tbsp tbsp
• lime↗1

  zested

• spring onions↗3

  cut in half across the middle, then halves sliced lengthways into matchsticks

• vegetable oil↗200ml ml
• onion↗1

  finely sliced

• lemon↗1

  zested and juiced

• butter↗1 tbsp tbsp
• olive oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• spinach↗100g g
• frozen peas↗150g g
• splash of white wine
• lovage10

  leaves, washed

• crème fraîche↗1 tbsp

  or soured cream

• new potatoes↗

  sliced and roasted

• green salad

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the purée, fry the onion and lemon zest in the butter and olive oil over a low heat with a pinch of salt for 8-10 mins until fragrant. Add the spinach, peas and wine, and cook, stirring, until the wine has evaporated. Add 100ml water, bring to a simmer and cook until the peas are done, about 2 mins. Add the lovage leaves and crème fraîche, stir briefly just to wilt the leaves, then add the lemon juice and blend to a silky smooth purée. Transfer to a pan to heat up before you serve.

2. 2

   Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub the fish with a little olive oil and season the fish cavities. Place a couple of lovage leaves in each fish, along with some slices of lemon and a few dots of butter. On a baking sheet, lay out a large piece of foil, bigger than the sheet. Place the fish in the middle of the foil, pull it up over the fish and seal, making a tented parcel. Bake in the oven for 15 mins, then open the foil and cook for 5 mins more. Remove and rest for 5 mins while you make the crisp spring onions. The fish should be delicately pink, moist and very tender, and come away from the skin and bone very easily.

3. 3

   Put the rice flour and lime zest in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Toss the spring onions with the flour to coat. Heat the oil in a saucepan (make sure it is no more than one-third full) over a medium-high heat. Fry the spring onions and watch as they sizzle. If they’re turning brown or cooking very quickly, turn the heat down. Fry for about 3-5 mins until crisp but not too brown, then drain on kitchen paper.

4. 4

   To serve, sweep the purée across the plate, top with the trout, then the spring onions. Eat with roast potato slices and a fresh green salad.