I LIKE to use red onions in this recipe because they have a sweeter flavour than the brown or white variety. You can smoke either the whole trout, or trout fillets using your favourite method of smoking, however, a cold smoking method, using a smoking mix such as Hawk Smoking Mix, is ideal for this recipe.
The cold smoking method is very easy to use (just follow the directions on the pack) and it gives an intense smoky flavour. The cold smoked trout is then poached in the stock with the onions and hence lends a delightful smoky flavour to the completed onion sauce.
If you intend to use a hot smoking method, the trout will cook as it is being smoked and will therefore only need to have a generous helping of the onion sauce spooned over the fillets just before serving. Simply omit poaching the hot smoked trout in the stock and follow the recipe from there.
Ingredients
3 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 tablespoons Bertolli olive oil
2 fillets cold smoked trout (per person)
1/2 cup fish stock
4 tablespoons thickened cream
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
freshly ground pepper to taste

PREPARATION
• Heat the oil over a low heat in a heavy-based frypan. Add the sliced onion to the pan and cook until softened. This will take about ten minutes or so. Slowly cooking the onion slices will give them almost a caramel consistency.
• If you have cold smoked your trout, now is the time to place the trout in the pan with the softened onions. Gently pour the fish stock over the top, cover the pan and gently simmer until the trout is cooked. The length of time will obviously depend on the thickness of the trout fillet.
• Carefully remove the trout fillets from the pan and place on a serving platter.
• Simmer the onion and the pan juices until they have reduced by half. Add the cream and chopped parsley to the pan. Stir well to combine. Season the sauce to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
• Spoon the sauce over the fish (hot or cold smoked) and serve immediately with heaps of fresh crusty bread to mop up the beautifully onion-flavoured sauce.

WINE
I recommend a glass, or so, of Orlando Trilogy Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Muscadelle. This is a white wine with delicious complex characters that marry ideally with the complex flavours in this recipe.
SMOKING MIX
Hawk Smoking Mix is available from Gus Veness Sport Ph (02) 9540 2955, Fax (02) 9540 2712.