Beat Post-Christmas Blues And Try Trout For A Healthy Start To The New Year

After the excitement of celebrating Christmas and over-indulging on rich food and drink, many people find they start the New Year feeling flat and sluggish. A good way to get back on track to feeling fit and able to deal with whatever life may throw at you, is to overhaul your diet. We are what we eat and one food we should certainly make sure we eat more of is oily fish - such as trout.

Trout has several important health properties, for example, it is rich in Omega 3 which can help combat coronary heart disease and arthritis. High in protein and low in fat (a third of the fat of salmon), trout is also an excellent source of iron, calcium, selenium and vitamins.

Versatile and easy to cook, trout can be served in a variety of ways to appeal to different tastes. Children, for example, may prefer fillets and these are also ideal for people with hectic lifestyles as they are simple to cook. Others enjoy feasting on fresh whole trout while those who fancy something a little special can treat themselves to smoked trout.

However you like to eat it, make a New Year's resolution to include more trout on your menu in 2001. It is an important step you can make towards a more balanced diet which, in turn, will improve your overall well-being.

This delicious recipe from the British Trout Association (BTA) is for a warming and nourishing stew with a difference. Provencal Saffron & Tomato Stew With Trout is quick and easy to prepare and will give family and friends a welcome change from the usual post-Christmas fare of turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, cold turkey and potatoes…..

PROVENCAL SAFFRON & TOMATO STEW WITH TROUT

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45-50 minutes
Serves: 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 head fennel trimmed and chopped
a pinch chilli flakes
4 tablespoons Pernod
400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
300ml (1/2pint) fish or vegetable stock
a large pinch saffron strands
2 bay leaves
2 x 300g (10oz) packs chunky trout fillets
50g (2oz) pitted black olives, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper

spaghetti, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion, garlic, thyme, fennel and
chilli flakes for 10 minutes until softened. Add the Pernod and boil rapidly until the liquid is almost totally evaporated.

2. Add the tomatoes, stock, saffron, bay leaves and salt and pepper, bring
to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Take the trout fillets and using a sharp knife remove the skin. The best
way to do this is to place the fillets, skin side down on a board and gently
slice between the skin and the flesh with a slight sawing motion.

4. Cut the flesh into bite size chunks and add to the stew with the olives
and parsley, cover and cook for a further 5-6 minutes until the trout is
cooked. Adjust seasonings and serve with some freshly cooked spaghetti.

British Trout Association, The Rural Centre, West Mains, Ingliston EH28 8NZ
Tel: 0131 472 4080    Fax: 0131 472 4083     E-mail: mail@britishtrout.co.uk