When it’s really too hot and you can’t be bothered to cook there are still ways to create something really lovely to eat without lighting up the gas or turning on the oven.

Salt and sugar cured fish takes about 12 hours so does need a little planning but curing fish with citrus literally takes a few minutes. Ceviche is the name given to this dish where the acid in lime juice cures/cooks the fish which you either slice or cube.

Finely chopped red onion is normally added but I think thinly sliced shallot rings are more refined. Sea bream works particularly well in ceviche but I have chosen chalk stream trout for its clean flavour and beautiful colour.

Serve as a starter or with a crisp green salad for a main course. Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 450g piece of chalk stream trout skinned and trimmed
  • Teaspoon salt
  • 2 limes
  • 1 avocado 
  • 25ml olive oil
  • 1 shallot finely sliced
  • Handful nasturtium leaves

Method

1. Sprinkle the salt over the trout and leave for 10 minutes

2. Take the avocado flesh, a pinch of salt, the juice of 1/4 lime and the olive oil and liquidise to make an avocado purée. Put the purée into a small sneezy bottle

3. Slice the trout and pour the remaining lime juice over. Stir around making sure each peace is coated in juice. Leave for 3 minutes

4. Arrange the trout onto 4 plates along with a few slices of shallot.

5. Squeeze small blobs of avocado purée around the fish. Spoon over a little of the juice left from the fish and a little olive oil. Finish with the nasturtium leaves.