FIRST there were garden makeovers, then came the blitz with home interior design.

Now the nation's favourite takeaway outlets could well be in for a change, if only as far as the menu.

A well-documented shortage of sea cod may mean fish and chips outlets will need to look for alternative denizens of the deep to fry.

One such option could well be within our own shores and a local fish farmer has come up with a tasty recipe which could lead to consumers becoming "hooked" on the up-market fish dish.

To coincide with National Trout Week, May 20 to 29, Antony and Vanessa Roberts who own Kilnsey Trout Farm are adding a little sparkle to its restaurant menu - champagne battered rainbow trout and chips.

The recipe was created by celebrity chef James Martin who used the bubbly instead of milk or water to make the batter coating for the launch.

To get the message across that rainbow trout is perhaps a better alternative to cod in that it is specially farmed, has a lower fat content and is rich in Omega 3 - a substance believed to help combat coronary heart disease, the Roberts' are serving the 'posh dish' in their restaurant today (Friday) tomorrow and Sunday between noon and 2pm.

A recent national opinion poll commissioned by the British Trout Association certainly backs up the Roberts' belief that battered trout should be taken seriously.

The poll claims that 61 per cent of consumers in Yorkshire and Humberside fear that over-fishing is endangering the numbers of cod.

Out of that poll, 43 per cent of them said they would be prepared to ask their local chippie for farmed alternatives such as trout if it would help preserve their culinary culture.

Robin Scott, chairman of the British Trout Association said: "When thinking of fish and chips, trout does not come immediately to mind. But more and more people who try it find it an excellent alternative to cod, plaice or haddock.

"That is good news for cod which is now in short supply, for trout is a totally sustainable alternative with approximately 12,000 tonnes farmed annually in the country."

For the Roberts, it's not the first time battered trout has appeared on their menu, although it is the first time they have used bubbly as one of the ingredients.

The owner of Skipton's famous Bizzie Lizzie's fish and chip emporium, Jean Ritson, said battered trout was certainly "food for thought" and something which she would investigate if trends moved in that direction.

"I have fried battered salmon in Japan when we went there after winning the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year award in 2000. We were invited to fry a meal and found salmon worked very well," she said.

Mrs Ritson said if they did experiment with battered trout it would probably be in the form of nuggets or bite-size pieces rather than large fillets.

"It really depends on how trends change," she said. "With fried fish it is the batter which is important and the way it complements the delicate flavour of the fish inside. If a flavour is too strong it may not work, but we are always prepared to change with the times."