Bacon And Sage Panfried Trout Recipes

PANFRIED TROUT

Steps:

• Rinse the trout and pat very dry. Place a sprig of sage in the cavity of each fish and season the inside with salt and pepper. Close the cavity by threading a wooden skewer through the flaps. Season the outside of the fish with salt and pepper and dredge in the cornmeal. (If dredging in flour, pat off the excess.)
• Heat two large skillets over medium high heat and divide the bacon fat between them. When the fat shimmers add the fish and fry until crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fish with a large flat spatula. Continue to cook the fish on the other side until just cooked though and golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to a platter and serve immediately with the lemon wedges.

BACON AND SAGE PANFRIED TROUT

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet cook 8 of the bacon slices over moderate heat, turning them occasionally, until they are crisp, transfer them to paper towels to drain, and pour off the fat. Crumble the cooked bacon into a small bowl and stir in the minced sage. In the skillet cook the remaining 16 bacon slices in 2 batches until the bacon just becomes translucent and the edges begin to curl, transfer them to paper towels to drain, and pour off the fat.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse the trout under cold water and pat them dry inside and out. Sprinkle the cavity of each trout with one eighth of the crumbled bacon mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Wrap 2 of the whole bacon slices around each trout, using wooden picks to secure the bacon and close the cavities. Mound the cornmeal on a sheet of wax paper and roll each trout in it, coating it completely and gently shaking off the excess.
• Heat the skillet over moderately high heat until it is hot, add the oil, and heat it until it is hot but not smoking. In the oil fry the trout, not touching each other, in batches for 3 minutes on each sides, or until they are just firm and the bacon is golden, transferring them as they are fried with long spatulas to a shallow baking pan. When all the trout has been fried, bake them for 5 minutes, or until they just flake and are heated through. Discard the wooden picks, arrange the trout carefully on a platter, and garnish them with the sage sprigs and the lemon wedges.

PAN-FRIED TROUT WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble bacon. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter and stir to melt. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Coat flesh side of fish with flour; shake off excess. Add fish, flesh side down, to skillet. Cook 2 minutes. Turn fish over. Cook until just opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Transfer fish to 2 plates. Pour off drippings from skillet; wipe skillet clean. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add all but 2 tablespoons onions; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in bacon, lemon juice, capers, and tarragon. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over fish. Sprinkle fish with 2 tablespoons green onions.

ROAST TROUT WITH BACON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut bacon lengthwise in thin slivers, best done by rolling the slices as for a julienne, then slicing through the rolls. Put butter and oil in a baking dish large enough to hold fish. Place in oven until butter melts and starts to color. Lay bacon slivers in baking dish (don't worry if some break), return dish to oven and cook until bacon is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon to several thicknesses of paper towel, leaving fat in baking dish.
• Pat trout dry and season with salt and pepper. Place in baking dish and baste with hot fat. Roast for 10 minutes. Baste again. Break bacon into 1-inch pieces and scatter, along with lemon bits, over fish. Add chicken stock to baking dish. Roast for 5 minutes. Baste again and scatter with herbs. Roast 2 minutes more.
• Serve directly from dish, cutting along the back edge of the fish with a sharp knife, then lifting the top fillet off the bones onto a platter or dinner plate. Spoon pan juices over the fish. Remove the bones, head and tail. Serve bottom fillet, then repeat with second fish. Before discarding the heads, check to see if anyone wants to pick out the cheeks.