Rainbow Trout – skewered over a fire…

And for lunch the next day? Well, after building a shelter, we all felt we had deserved a good lunch, but first we had to prepare it. Now, there are not many fish around in the woodland so these were ordered in from the local fishmonger, but that didn’t detract from the excitement of preparing it ourselves.

Now, I’ve often filleted my own fish, even a whole salmon at times, but never removed the guts or done so without the main use of a knife!

You use the knife to begin, scoring around the head, without going through the bone, and the tail. Then, it’s simply a question of running your thumb and forefinger down the backbone of the fish, squashing against the bone as you go and thus, pulling the bone away from the fish. I’m not sure it’s a method that John and Greg would think orthodox, but it certainly works and leaves not a shred of flesh left on the bones, even ensuring the pin bones are extracted! I’m giving it a go next time I buy my fish whole!

When done, skewer the double fillet on two small, sharpened stick and wedge into a long, split stick of hazel. Toast over an open, smoky fire, then turn to crispen the skin.

Serve with new potatoes smothered in butter, salt and pepper.