- 500g/1lb 2oz baby beetroot, trimmed and washed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved for garnish
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and roughly crushed
- 1 small orange, segmented
- 1 small fennel bulb, finely shaved, fronds reserved for garnish
- 1 courgette, shaved into thin ribbons
- 8 trout fillets
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
- Put the beetroots on a large piece of aluminium foil, drizzle the olive oil over and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over to make a parcel and roast for 1 hour, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Peel and halve the beetroots and set aside.
- Meanwhile, for the dressing whisk the oil and vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the courgette, fennel and orange salad, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix through the fennel seeds. Add the orange segments, shaved fennel and courgette and toss to coat. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Toss the fennel through the dressing. Don’t toss the beetroot otherwise it will stain the fennel.
- Just before serving, cook the trout. Use two large frying pans to ensure all the fish is cooked and ready at the same time. Divide the butter between the pans and melt over a medium heat. Gently fry the trout, flesh-side down first, for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden-brown and cooked through.
- Arrange the fennel in the centre of each serving plate and scatter the beetroot on top. Drizzle any remaining dressing over and then carefully lay 2 trout fillets, flesh-side up, on top. Roughly tear the fennel fronds over and serve with a wedge of lemon. Serve the courgette salad alongside.