Baked Trout with Dijon Mustard
Whole trout roasted until the skin crisps at the edges and the flesh pulls away from the bone, under a sharp, lightly caramelised coating of moutarde de Dijon and crème fraîche. Butter, dill and lemon steam gently inside as it bakes!
Ingredients
- 3 trout whole, cleaned and gutted
- 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp crème fraîche
- 2 lemons thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 red onions very thinly sliced into rings
- 1 bunch dill
- 45 gr unsalted butter softened
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
1. Prepare the fish
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a large tray with a baking mat or parchment, with room for three fish. Pat the trout dry inside and out. Score each fish three times diagonally on one side, down to the bone. Season generously inside and out.
2. Make the crust
- Mix the Dijon mustard and crème fraîche together until smooth. Set aside.
3. Stuff the cavities
- Push a knob of butter into each cavity, then a few lemon slices, a pinch of dill, and a few onion rings. Don't overstuff.
4. Coat and top
- Spread the mustard-crème fraîche mixture generously over each fish. Lay the remaining lemon slices and onion rings on top, pressing them into the coating. Tuck the last of the dill around the fish. Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Bake
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and lightly crisped and the flesh flakes easily at the thickest point. No need to turn or baste.
6. Serve
- Bring the tray straight to the table. Serve with steamed new potatoes or a green salad.
Notes
- Mustard-to-crème-fraîche ratio is flexible. More mustard, sharper; more crème fraîche, softer and richer. Start equal and adjust.
- Red onion softens and sweetens in the oven. Add a few raw rings after baking if you want more bite.
- Dijon is non-negotiable. English mustard is too sharp, wholegrain too textured.
- Dill is more Alsatian than broadly French. Swap for parsley or tarragon for a more classic note.
- Don't crowd the tray: three fish is fine, but keep them from touching so the crust crisps.