Trout With Peppercorn Crust Bacon And Red Cabbage Recipes

TROUT WITH PEPPERCORN CRUST, BACON AND RED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Open both trout and arrange, skin side down, on work surface. Sprinkle trout with salt, then peppercorns; press peppercorns to adhere.
• Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Add trout, skin side up, to drippings in skillet. Sauté until brown, about 3 minutes. Using large spatula, turn trout over. Sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer trout, skin side down, to plates. Add cabbage, onions and thyme to same skillet. Sauté until cabbage wilts, about 3 minutes. Add wine and bacon and simmer until cabbage is just tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon cabbage mixture alongside trout and serve.

PAN-ROASTED SEA TROUT WITH UMBRIAN LENTILS AND RED CABBAGE SOTTACETO

Steps:

• To make the cabbage, warm the oil and garlic together in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Season with salt and sauté the garlic, stirring constantly to prevent it from browning, for about 2 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, to wilt it slightly. Reduce the heat to low, add the vinegar, and simmer the cabbage 35 to 45 minutes, until the vinegar is reduced by about two-thirds and is thick and jammy. You don't need to stir the cabbage while it cooks, just let it slowly simmer and it will melt down into the vinegar. You can prepare the cabbage to this point up to three days in advance. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving.
• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Season both sides of the trout with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium- high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the fish fillets in the pan skin side down and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, so the skin begins to brown and crisp. Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 4 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. (To check for doneness, look at the skin around the outer edges of the fish; you want it to be a rich, crunchy, french-fry brown around the sides.) Remove the pan from the oven and slide a spatula under each fillet to turn it, taking care not to tear the skin or burn yourself, as the pan will be searing hot. Return the pan to the oven and cook the fish for another minute. Remove the pan from the oven and let the fish rest in the pan for 2 minutes.
• While the fish is cooking, combine 1/2 cup of the cabbage with the parsley in a small bowl and toss gently. Warm the lentils in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add enough water so they are the consistency of a thick porridge but not so thin that they will spread over the surface of the plate. Remove the lentils from the heat and drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the finishing-quality olive oil, stirring constantly for about a minute, until the lentils are creamy and emulsified.
• Ladle 1/4 cup of the lentils into the center of each of four plates. Lay the trout on top of the lentils, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each fish fillet and top with the cabbage and parsley, dividing it evenly. Drizzle each serving of fish with the finishing olive oil, and serve with the remaining cabbage on the side.
• suggested wine pairing
• Orvieto Superiore (Umbria)

RED CABBAGE WITH BACON

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, place steamer basket over 1 in. of water. Place cabbage in basket. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; steam, covered, just until tender, 6-8 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 2 tablespoons in pan., Add onion to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 4-6 minutes. Stir in flour and brown sugar until blended. Gradually stir in water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cabbage, bacon, salt and pepper.

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.