I'm developing a bit of an obsession with lightly cooked cucumbers, and though clearly the star of the dish is supposed to be the elegantly steamed trout, somehow for me it's the cucumber on the side.Serves 22 whole trouts, heads off80g butter, softened 20g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced1 lemon150g long-grain rice1 cucumber, peeled1 tablespoon dill, chopped1 tablespoon creme fraicheSalt & pepperPreheat your oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Season half the butter and mix with the chopped parsley.Season your fish inside and out.Zest your lemon, then put the zest to one side and cut six semicircle slices off the lemon. Lay three slices inside each trout.Take two pieces of foil around 40cm square and in the centre of each, smear a quarter of the butter mixture where the trout will go. Lay the fennel on top of the butter, give it a quick season, then sit the trout on the fennel and spread the last of the butter mixture along the top of the fish. Seal the foil parcels so that the trout can steam and nothing leaks out. Place them on a baking tray and pop them in the oven for 15 minutes. In a saucepan, melt half the remaining butter. Tip the rice in, give the grains a good roll and coat in the butter, then pour on cold water equal to two and half times the volume of the rice. Cover and turn the heat up high. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Halve your cucumber lengthways, scoop out the seeds and slice into 2cm thick pieces on the diagonal.In a frying pan, starting over a high heat, saute the cucumber chunks in the last of the butter with a lid on for about eight minutes, stirring occasionally and dropping the temperature halfway through. Don't brown them but once soft, turn off the heat and add the dill, creme fraiche and some seasoning.When the rice is cooked stir in the lemon zest, the juice of the remaining half-lemon and a touch of salt, then serve the parcels to be opened at the table.Food & drinkguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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