Simple Preparation Makes Trout Satisfying

By Karin Welzel

It’s been nearly 40 years since the brook trout was named Pennsylvania’s official state fish.

Time has not tarnished its popularity — nor its population. This week, anglers are stocking tackle boxes and tying knots in anticipation of the first day of the 2008 trout season. It begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and runs through Labor Day.

There are plenty of wild and stocked trout — five species in all — in lakes and streams to satisfy every rod and reel, according to the commonwealth’s Fish and Boat Commission. The limit is five fish per day, each at least 7 inches long, among rainbow, brown, brook, tiger and golden trout.

“I remember when I was 10 or 12 years old and my brother and I would go trout fishing,” says Sean Davies, executive sous chef for The Original Fish Market Restaurant at the Westin Pittsburgh Convention Center, Downtown. “My dad was a fisherman. My parents had a place in Nemacolin, when it was just a glorified fishing encampment, and we’d go fly-fishing for trout. We’d take our catch to the inn, and they would cook it for us.”

Davies says he doesn’t fish as much as he used to, but those childhood memories aren’t far away each time a customer orders trout from the menu.

“I always keep it on hand,” he says. “It’s versatile and reasonably cheap. It’s sort of underutilized in high cuisine.”

The fish — a member of the family salmoniade, which includes salmon and char — appears daily among the restaurant’s “fresh catch,” and sometimes he’ll offer it as a special. He purchases farm- raised trout, which guarantees a regular supply.

This isn’t a fish to be gussied up, he says. Folks like it simply prepared.

“Served with a squeeze of lemon and a side of green beans and mashed or roasted potatoes” is a popular presentation, and the fish – - which has a slight gamey flavor — takes well to crisp coatings, such as cornmeal, a potato crust or crushed potato chips.

“I try to do something different with it, but it’s never too far from the basics,” Davies says. “That’s how people remember it, eat it and expect it.”

An estimated 1 million anglers are expected to head toward rivers and streams in Pennsylvania on Saturday. They must have a fishing license and trout stamp if they are 16 or older. Some fishermen return caught trout to the waters; others can take their catch back to camp or home and fry up good memories.

Pittsburgh’s abundance of fish restaurants and markets makes it easy for the general public and home cook to enjoy trout without having to buy a fishing license.

At McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants in SouthSide Works and Downtown, Idaho rainbow trout usually is on the fresh list at dinner and lunch. Special treatment for the freshwater fish is to grill it, then serve with a blackberry balsamic sauce or lemon maple glaze.

Monterey Bay Fish Grotto, on Mt. Washington and in Monroeville, also offers fresh Idaho rainbow trout, prepared lightly sauteed and topped with toasted almonds or sauteed with a lemon herb brown butter.

The Original Fish Market serves rainbow trout from Idaho, offering it mesquite grilled, blackened, steamed Hong Kong-style or Thai green curry.

For those who aren’t outdoors men but want to start with trout from scratch, a trip to the Strip District can net a fresh catch. Wholey’s Fish Market, along Penn Avenue, has a tank of live rainbow trout that cost $36 for 4 pounds. The fish can be ordered online, too, at www.wholey.com.

Safety and sustainability concerns are increasingly addressed

Sean Davies, executive sous chef at The Original Fish Market Restaurant, Downtown, says most American chefs are sensitive to safety and sustainability issues that surround fish and seafood. If they aren’t, he says, they hear about it.

“Consumers are very aware now — almost to the point of overawareness” about overfishing and pollution of waterways that might endanger supplies and compromise public health, he says. “They are finding much better ways to farm fish (to avoid contamination).”

According to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, trout stocked from the commonwealth’s hatcheries are safe to catch and eat as long as consumers limit consumption — the recommended limit is 8 ounces before cooking once a week — and pay attention to advisories. Pennsylvania is the only state that tests its hatchery trout every year for PCBs, man-made chemicals that were used as coolants in industrial and electrical products. Traditionally farm- raised trout and freshwater trout are low in mercury.

Trout Unlimited is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watershed. Because of its mission, Trout Unlimited advocates catch-and-release fishing of trout in certain areas and using barbless hooks.

“It depends on where the fishing is,” says Erin Mooney, national press secretary for the Arlington, Va.-based group. “A lot of streams in Pennsylvania are stocked with trout so they can be caught.”

Trout Unlimited, which boasts 150,000 members and 400 local chapters, also keeps an eye on waterways to spot threats to habitats and works on programs to restore, improve or preserve streams and rivers. The group also stocks fish in waterways.

The Pittsburgh chapter is called Penns Woods West, the largest in the commonwealth and one of the largest in the United States. The group is engaged in a long-term project to make Pine Creek a “blue- ribbon fishery” within a 30-minute drive from Downtown. It also sponsors Cabin Fever, the largest trout fishing show in western Pennsylvania, offers an annual bus trip to Fisherman’s Paradise in Bellefonte, conducts fly-tying classes, participates in area sports shows, underwrites the costs of sending high school students to various conservation and fly-fishing schools, and publishes a monthly “Hatches & Rises” newsletter. Its Web site is www.pwwtu.org.

Another area group, Chestnut Ridge Trout Unlimited, was awarded the 2007 Edward J. Urbas Award for best chapter by the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited and its Web site was honored as best in the commonwealth. Chestnut Ridge oversees four counties in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Angling for trout

A license must be purchased by all anglers age 16 and older to fish in Pennsylvania waters. Fishing for trout requires a trout/ salmon stamp, which costs extra.

Fish is very perishable. To preserve its freshness, protect it by cleaning, dressing and freezing it (or chill immediately, then eat that day). Scale, gut, remove the head and fins, wash thoroughly and drain. Small fish can be frozen in a block of ice by placing the fish, usually in a single layer, in a clean container with a tight- fitting lid. Cover the fish with cold water and freeze. Fillet or steak large fish, then wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic freezer wrap or heavy-duty freezer bags. The fish will thaw easier if layers are separated with two thicknesses of packaging material. When storing, label the package with the date it was frozen.

Store fish at 0 degrees or below. Use a refrigerator or freezer thermometer to check the temperature. Fish stored at 15 degrees for as little as two weeks show a significant loss of quality. High-fat fish generally develop a rancid odor and flavor more quickly when frozen than leaner fish. Lake trout and rainbow trout have a freezer storage life of three to five months.

Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator, allowing about 24 hours for a 1-pound package. Or, place the package in moisture-proof wrapping and cover with cold water until thawed, for one to two hours.

Trout can be baked, fried, grilled, pan-fried, broiled or smoked. Do not remove the skin before cooking, or the fish is likely to fall apart. Diners can remove the skin — easily — when the fish is served.

Check with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission to see whether there are consumption advisories for your sport fish. The commonwealth recommends eating no more than 8 ounces of recreationally caught fish in a week, for a 150-pound person.

To reduce the possibility of contamination, remove all skin from sport fish and slice off the fat belly meat along the bottom. Cut away any fat above the backbone and the V-shaped wedge of fat along the lateral line on each side of the fish. Bake or broil trimmed fish on a rack or grill so some of the remaining fat drips away. Discard any drippings — do not eat them or use for other foods.

Pan-Fried Trout Sandwich with Arugula Pesto and Grape Tomato Salad

If you plan to fish for trout and want to cook your catch, first check the trout fishing regulations by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission to ensure minimum size and quantity requirements. Farmed fresh trout are available at supermarkets and fish shops, already gutted and cleaned. Ask your fishmonger to fillet a whole trout, if you want.

This recipe is from Sean Davies, executive sous chef at The Original Fish Market Restaurant, 1001 Liberty Ave., at The Westin Pittsburgh Convention Center, Downtown.

1 gutted and cleaned trout (9 to 11 ounces)

About 1/2 cup rough cornmeal

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, to taste

Fish or chicken stock, if necessary

Split hoagie roll

Arugula Pesto (recipe follows)

Grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

Pinch of very finely minced red onion

Hot shoestring french fries, for serving

Pinch of microsprouts, for garnish

2 or 3 lemon slices, for garnish

Flat-leaf parsley sprig, for garnish

Scaling is not necessary when preparing trout for cooking. For the easiest filleting, use a very sharp knife that is relative to the size of the fish, perhaps one with a 4- to 5-inch blade. You can cut off the head first or remove it while filleting.

Working on one side of the fish, insert the knife so that it separates the meat from the ribs, as close as possible, moving the knife up and out (see Photo 1). Turn the fish over and repeat. You’ll have 2 fillets, which are perfect to serve 1 person. Without removing the skin or any of the lean meat, trim off any visible fat from either side of the fillets as well as the fins and belly fat (Photo 2).

Place your finger along the center of each fillet (starting at the head side) to feel for a line of small bones; cut them out in a “V” shape (Photo 3) and discard. It is not necessary to pull out smaller bones. Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with cornmeal and season with kosher salt and pepper (Photo 4).

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil and let heat until nearly smoking. Quickly dump excess oil from the pan into a waste container, then return the pan to the heat. Add the fillets, skin-side down, and let the fish cook through, which will take 2 to 3 minutes for a fillet 1/2-inch thick. If the pan is getting too dry, splash it with some chicken stock to finish. Turning the fish is optional, and it might be difficult to loosen the flesh side from the bottom of the pan, which can cause the fillet to break. Use a fish spatula, if possible.

Meanwhile, arrange the bottom of the hoagie roll on a large serving plate. Spread the top of the roll with some of the pesto. Gently slide the fillets onto the bottom of the roll, then prop the top, pesto-side up, next to it. Toss a handful of halved grape tomatoes with a little extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and very finely minced red onion (you don’t want a wet mixture). Turn the tomatoes on top of the open-faced sandwich. Place the hot shoestring potatoes to one side, then garnish with microsprouts, lemon slices and parsley.

Makes 1 serving.

Arugula Pesto

Chef Sean Davies of The Original Fish Market says to use your favorite recipe for pesto — substitute baby arugula leaves for the basil, almonds for the pine nuts. You can toss in some onion, too. Or, try this recipe adapted from Megan Scarsella of Evanston, Ill., who writes a blog called “Kitchen Notes” on the Internet. Scarsella uses it to coat pasta, spread on sandwiches or to garnish toast with a slice of tomato. To preserve leftovers, refrigerate the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil over the top in an airtight container.

1/2 cup whole almonds, roasted

4 cloves garlic

4 cups baby arugula, lightly packed

1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, more to taste

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Have a food processor ready with the blade attachment. Process the almonds, arugula and garlic together until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. When the olive oil is fully incorporated, turn off the processor. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides.

Add the cheese, salt and pepper. Process for an additional 30 seconds or so, until the pesto has a uniform consistency. Taste and add more cheese, if needed.

Trout Almost Amandine with Pistachios

This recipe is from “The Young Man & the Sea” by Dave Pasternack and Ed Levine (Artisan Books, $35). It’s Pasternack’s Italian take on trout amandine. Any kind of trout will do, he writes, but he uses golden trout whenever it’s available because of its color.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and crushed

4 (6 ounces each) boneless trout fillets

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 lemons, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Heat the broiler.

Combine the butter and olive oil in a wide shallow bowl. Place the crushed pistachios in another wide shallow bowl.

Season the trout fillets with salt and pepper. Slide the fillets through the butter mixture, then press the flesh side down into the pistachios. Place the fillets, skin-side down, on a baking sheet, and top each with 2 or 3 lemon slices.

Broil the fish for 6 to 8 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and the fish has begun to flake. Serve immediately, with the bubbling butter and oil spooned over.

Makes 4 servings.

Wood-Grilled Trout with Mission Fig Compound Butter

This recipe is from “The Best of American Beer and Food: Pairing and Cooking with Craft Beer” by Lucy Saunders (Brewers Publications, $22.95 paperback). Serve with an American India pale ale or amber ale. The recipe was developed by The Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, Escondido, Calif.

10 dried mission figs, stems removed and coarsely chopped

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Pinch of ground cardamom

1/2-inch piece gingerroot, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

4 trout (6 to 8 ounces each), cleaned, skin on

Fresh herbs, such as parsley and chives, for garnish

Prepare a grill for medium direct heat.

Place the figs in a food processor and pulse on high until pasty. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the cardamom, gingerroot, salt and lemon zest. Saute over low heat until the ginger is tender. Add the chopped figs and stir well. Simmer for 1 minute and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Soak 2 large wood planks for 15 minutes. Rinse the trout fillets and rub with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place 2 trout on each plank and arrange on the grill. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the wood begins to char. Turn the fillets over, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fish and the planks. Do not overcook.

Remove the trout and planks from the grill. Arrange the fish on a serving platter with fresh herbs to garnish. Spoon 2 tablespoons fig compound butter onto each fillet and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Fennel-Brined Trout Grilled with Bacon and Herbs

This recipe is from “Mastering the Grill: The Owner’s Manual for Outdoor Cooking” by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim (Chronicle Books LLC, $24.95 paperback).

2 cups Orange-Fennel Brine (recipe follows)

4 boneless brook trout, about 6 ounces each

8 sprigs fresh dill, mint, sage or rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil, more for coating grill grate or basket

8 slices bacon

Prepare the Orange-Fennel Brine. Put the brine in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag.

The trout will be split down their bellies. Open them up like a book to expose the interiors to the brine. Place the fish in the brine and seal the zipper, leaving about an inch open. Push on the bag to release any trapped air through the opening, and close the zipper completely. Massage the liquid gently into the fish and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high direct heat

Remove the fish from the brine and discard the brine. Place 2 herb sprigs in the cavity of each fish and close each fish around the herbs. Pat the fish skin until dry, then rub the outside of each fish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each fish, allowing the ends of each strip to meet and overlap slightly. Secure each bacon slice with an oiled wooden toothpick.

Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. If using a fish basket, coat the basket with oil. Put the fish in a single layer on the grill grate or in the grill basket and cover the grill. Cook until the bacon is cooked through and any exposed fish skin in crisp, about 6 minutes per side. Remove the toothpicks and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Orange-Fennel Brine

2 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fennel seeds or aniseed

Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag; seal and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve, for about 30 seconds.

Brook Trout Amandine

Here’s a classic French recipe for trout, from “Black Forest Cuisine: The Classic Blending of European Flavors” by Walter Staib with Jennifer Lindner McGlinn (Running Press, $35).

8 trout fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), skinned and pin bones removed

Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging

2 large eggs, beaten

2 cups sliced almonds

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 lemon, peeled, sectioned and seeded, for garnish

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Score the skin side of each trout fillet (the side formerly covered with skin) several times, using a paring knife, then season both sides with salt and pepper and arrange in a shallow dish. Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and set aside to marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 3 minutes.

Place the flour, eggs and almonds in separate shallow dishes. Pat the trout fillets dry and begin coating them, first in flour, then in egg and finally with the almonds.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place the fillets in the pan and saute on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden, watching carefully to prevent the almonds from burning.

To serve, arrange the fillets on a serving platter or individual plates and place the lemon segments on top. Drizzle with the butter from the pan and garnish with parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Smoked Trout Dip

Smoked trout is available in many grocery stores. This can be used as a dip or a sandwich spread. The recipe is from Food Network Kitchens.

1 boneless smoked trout (about 8 ounces)

1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

4 ribs celery, cut into sticks

1 endive, separated into leaves

Discard the head and skin from the fish. Flake the trout fillets. Puree the cream cheese, sour cream and horseradish in a mini-food processor. Add the fish and pulse to a make a smooth dip.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the onion, parsley and lemon juice. Refrigerate until firm, for about 1 hour. Serve with celery or endive leaves.

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