Instructions: Blanch the sliced cucumber in boilng water for 1 minute, drain, refresh in cold water and pat dry.

Oil a bowl or bowls for the trout; it (or they) should be rounded and hold 12-16 fl oz (350-480 ml) in total.

Line the bowl(s) with overlapping cucumber slices, imitating fish scales as well as you can, and leaving some hanging over the edge at the top, ready to fold over the top of the filling.

In a large frying pan scatter the mace, allspice, chopped onion, lemon peel and chopped parsley; then lay the trout over the top.

Pour over the white wine and bring up to a light simmer.

Cover with foil and poach until the fish are just cooked, turning them over half-way through (they will need about 5 minutes on each side).

Take out the fish.

Remove their heads, skins and all their bones.

Reserve the flesh and put the skin and bones (but not the head) back into the pan.

Simmer for a further 5 minutes and then drain and sieve the cooking liquid.

Let any heavy sediment settle our, pour liquid back into the saucepan

(through muslin or a fine strainer if you wish) and reduce over the heat to a few tablespoons.

Melt the butter.

Mix together the melted butter, the trout flesh and the reduced cooking liquid and mask well.

Taste for seasoning.

Press into the cucumber-lined bowl(s), fold over the cucumber edges and cover teh remaining spaces until set firmly, before unmoulding.

Serve with lemon, horseradish and fresh brown bread and butter.

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