Local, sustainable, healthy and delicious, trout has all the current culinary buzz words covered.
Whether you catch it in a creek or buy farm-raised, the firm, sweet fish makes a versatile starter or main course. And its place at the table with other signs of spring such as onions and morels is a perfectly simple study in seasonal cooking.
David Larkworthy, chef/owner of Five Seasons Brewing Co., has featured hosts of trout specials in his three restaurants, including such unusual takes as trout fish and chips with smoked tomato vinaigrette.
“It’s a very versatile fish,” said Larkworthy. “It takes to smoking very well, hot or cold. Fried trout is outstanding, but it’s great in the oven or sauteed, and it absorbs sauces very well.
“I like it with sweet and sour flavors. When we get trout in the springtime, there are all kinds of great vegetables to pair with it, as well as fresh herbs, like sage and parsley.”
For many years, Larkworthy has been buying farm-raised rainbow trout from Tom Detko, also known as “the Trout Man.”
A colorful, tie-dyed character on the local food scene, Detko procures trout from farms in North Georgia and North Carolina and delivers it directly to chefs all over metro Atlanta, always accompanied by his Great Dane, Lluvia.
“I’ve been doing this for about seven years,” Detko said during a recent stop at Five Seasons Westside, where he showed off his latest catch, including a whopping five-pounder.
“It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. I am the trout man. When I phone a restaurant and say it’s Tom the trout man calling for the chef, they know exactly who I am.”
Larkworthy made quick work of some of Detko’s trout, cutting up neat fillets, sprinkling on some salt and pepper, then pan-searing them in extra virgin olive oil. He plated the crispy fish atop a spring onion and orange salad, mixed with pine nuts and cranberries, surrounded by lemon butter.
“It’s total simplicity in terms of the fish,” Larkworthy said. “Spring onions are really a gift, because they’re only here for a couple of weeks. Georgia is world famous for the wonderful Vidalia onions, so we use those.”
“When I think of trout, I think of the outdoors, and I like to serve it with dried fruits and nuts, sort of like trail mix. The nutty pine nuts and tart cranberries add those kinds of flavors and make the dish light, refreshing and healthful.”
These recipes feature the versatility of trout in three different ways — smoked, pan seared and cured. Find trout fillets at most metro Kroger and Publix stores or live rainbow trout swimming in tanks at Your Dekalb Farmers Market.
Bob Townsend, for the AJC
Photos, Renee Brock
Styling, Renee Brock, David Larkworthy, Bob Townsend
Smoked Trout Spread
Hands on time: 10 minutes Total Time: 70 minutes, including 1 hour for chilling.
Makes: 2 cups
This quick and easy recipe from Athens cookbook author Rebecca Lang calls for pecan smoked trout from Atlanta’s Woodsmoke Provisions. Find it at the seafood counter in most Publix stores.
1/2 pound Woodsmoke Provisions pecan smoked trout or other smoked trout
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1⁄3 cup sour cream Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon hot sauce Fresh dill, for garnish
Crackers, for serving
Peel the skin from each trout fillet and discard it. Finely chop the trout. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the trout, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, dill, mustard, and hot sauce. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining dill. Serve with crackers.
From “Quick-Fix Southern: Homemade Hospitality in 30 Minutes or Less” by Rebecca Lang, Andrews McMeel Publishing, $16.99.
Per 2-tablespoon serving: 76 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 5 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace fiber, 6 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 22 milligrams cholesterol, 191 milligrams sodium.
Pan Seared Trout and Vidalia Spring Onion Salad
This recipe from 5 Seasons Brewery chef/owner David Larkworthy highlights the sweet essence of fresh trout with a spring onion salad filled with bright flavors.
Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 90 minutes, including one hour for marinating
Serves: 4
For the salad 4 oranges,1 zested, 2 juiced and 2 segmented
2 tablespoons honey
4 spring Vidalia onions, cored, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 pinch chili pepper flakes
12 sprigs flat leaf parsley, leaves only
1 teaspoon white truffle oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts salt and pepper, to taste
For the trout
4 6-ounce, skin-on trout fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the citrus butter
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons butter
To make the salad: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the honey and the juice. Add the orange zest and segments, Vidalia onions, chili flakes, parsley leaves, white truffle oil, olive oil, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts and salt and pepper, to taste. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving. Toss occasionally or place in a zip lock bag and remove air so that all ingredients are covered.
To pan sear the trout: Trim the fillets of any bones. Place on a paper towel to remove moisture. Season both sides with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium high heat until it just begins to smoke. Place fillets in pan skin side down and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes or until 85 percent done (the translucent flesh will become opaque as it cooks). Flip over and turn off the heat. Cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until done. The fish will just flake or separate under pressure. Keep warm while preparing the citrus butter.
To make the citrus butter: In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the lemon juice, zest and water. When the liquid begins to boil turn down the heat and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time to make a creamy butter sauce.
To serve: Divide the salad on 4 plates. Place a trout fillet on top of salad with the crispy skin facing up. Spoon the citrus butter sauce around the plate.
Per serving: 665 calories (percent of calories from fat, 59), 40 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 44 grams fat (15 grams saturated), 145 milligrams cholesterol, 270 milligrams sodium.
Rye Whiskey-Cured Trout with Fresh and Pickled Fennel
This cured trout recipe from Blackberry Farm chef/owner Sam Beall gets its sweet, soft flavor from rye whiskey, brown sugar, bitters and orange zest. Fresh and pickled fennel provide a crunchy, tangy contrast.
Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 5 hours and 30 minutes (including 5 hours for curing).
Serves: 4
For the trout
1 cup Kosher salt
1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup rye whiskey, such as Wild Turkey
1 teaspoon rye seeds or caraway seeds
3 dashes of bitters
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 5-ounce skin-on trout fillets
For the fennel salad
1 1/2 cups rice vinegar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 star anise pod
2 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
3 fennel bulbs, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To cure the trout: In a small bowl, combine the salt, sugar, whiskey, rye or caraway seeds, bitters, and zest. Using your hands, smear the mixture over both sides of the trout fillets. Place the trout on a rimmed baking sheet, and place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper on top of the fillets. Place another baking sheet on top, weight it down with some heavy food cans, and refrigerate for 5 hours. After 5 hours, remove the fillets from the pan and rinse the fillets under cold water to remove the salt mixture. Pat them dry with paper towels. If you're not serving the fillets immediately, they can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
To make the fennel: In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, saffron, star anise, and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Bring to a boil, add half of the sliced fennel and bring the mixture just back to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Once it is cool, discard the star anise, drain the fennel and coarsely chop it. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with the fresh fennel slices, olive oil, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
To serve: Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice the trout, holding your knife at an angle and slicing along (not through) the skin. Place the trout slices on plates and place a mound of the fennel salad around or on top.
Per serving: 310 calories (percent of calories from fat, 29), 17 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 41 milligrams cholesterol, 2,010 milligrams sodium.
From “The Blackberry Farm Cookbook” by Sam Beall, Clarkson Potter Publishers, $60.
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