Herb and Lemon Whole Roasted Golden Trout

It took me some time to become confident enough in my cooking abilities to tackle a whole fish.  In retrospect, that was really silly – working with a whole fish is, in fact, one of the easiest seafood preparations out there.  Once you make sure the fish has been properly cleaned, which I have outlined with pictures below, it’s simply a matter of choosing a preparation and executing.  Whole grilled fish is excellent, as is a whole roasted fish.  Here, I lightly breaded and quickly sautéed the fish to crisp up the skin and finished it in the oven.  The flesh was succulent and moist, imparted with lovely citrus and herb flavors.  I love trout – it is reminiscent of salmon, but, in my opinion, milder.

After removing the fish from the pan, I quickly deglazed it with some white wine and added a bit of butter to create a really easy pan sauce.  I served this with some roasted Brussels sprouts for a healthy, delicious, and flavorful meal.

Herb and Lemon Whole Roasted Golden Trout

1 whole golden trout, about 1 lb.

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

3-4 tbs. chives, finely chopped

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbs. canola oil

1/4 cup white wine

1 tbs. butter

Preheat oven to 350°.

When picking out a fish, make sure it’s eyes are clear and it has very little “fishy” odor.  A little fish smell is okay, but the less fishy smelling, the fresher.

Oh yes, this guy’s eyes are clear as a bell.  Have your fishmonger wrap him up for you and scurry home.

Take the trout and unwrap it.  Your fishmonger should have removed the scales, but run the sharp edge of your knife from the tip of the tail to the head a few times to check for any loose ends.  Trout actually don’t have scales, but it’s good to get into the habit.

Check and make sure the gills are removed.  (Yes, I bite my nails.)

Yup, all gone.  If they are there (they will be sharp, so watch out!), use scissors to cut them loose and carefully remove.

Look on the top of the fish and cut loose any fins.  These tend to burn when you cook the fish and can cut you, so it’s best just to get rid of them.

Likewise for other flippers and fins.  Make sure you cut just beyond where they meet the body.

Cut off the flipper end of the tail.

And the little guys on the back.

Sorry, Mr. Fish.

Take a peek inside the cavity and make sure the fishmonger got rid of the guts.  Occasionally I’ve seen a piece of intestines here and there – cut them loose if you see any.  I forgot to take a picture of this part because the cavity was impeccable.

All done!

Season the cavity of the fish with salt and pepper.  Stuff with lemon slices, parsley, and chives.

Mix together flour, salt, and pepper on a large plate.  Lightly dredge fish with flour.

Heat canola oil in an oven-safe pan such as a cast iron skillet over high heat.  Add fish and cook 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Using a pair of kitchen tongs, carefully flip the fish.

Transfer immediately to the oven.

Cook 20-25 minutes or until flesh flakes easily and internal temperature reaches 140º.

Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.  Place pan over medium-high heat and add white wine.  Stir in butter and whisk until melted and combined with the wine and drippings from the fish.

Oven-Baked Spicy Whole Red Snapper

Zak arrived fresh from the store on Sunday morning as I was wrapping up some homework bearing some chicken wings for the football game and a whole red snapper for me to cook up for dinner.  I love surprise ingredients (hence my love of the CSA model), and after my success with whole grilled barramundi was excited to try a different application for whole fish.  I decided to roast the whole fish in the oven, encased in tinfoil to seal in flavor.  I created a light, Asian-themed marinade with hints of sweetness, lemongrass, citrus, and spice.  The sweet, mild flesh of the snapper was imparted with a gentle array of flavors but not overpowered by either the sweetness or spice.  Because it was baked in a steam-tight foil packet, the snapper remained moist and tender.  I particularly love the heat that was imparted from the habanero – in the future, I would probably double up on it to add a really fire-y bite, but I thought the balance was pretty good here.  I’ve become a huge fan of cooking whole fish as it is so much easier and less intimidating that I imagined, and can’t wait to try it again.

Oven-Baked Spicy Whole Red Snapper

1 1 1/4 lb. whole red snapper, gutted and scales removed

2 tbs. canola oil

1 tbs. soy sauce

1 very hot chile, such as a habanero, finely minced

1 tbs. sliced lemongrass

1 tbs. ground ginger

1 tbs. brown sugar

2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced (reserve remaining half for squeezing)

1/2 orange, thinly sliced (reserve remaining half for squeezing)

3 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cut about three slices per side of the fish on a slight diagonal through but not to the bone.

Mix together canola oil, soy sauce, hot chile, sliced lemongrass, ground ginger, ground coriander, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Brush mixture all over the fish, both inside and outside the cavity.  Stuff about half of the lemon slices and the garlic inside the cavity.

Place fish on a large sheet of tinfoil.  Lay remaining lemon slices over the top of the fish.  Create a tinfoil packet around the fish, being sure to tightly crimp all of the edges.  Place on a baking sheet and let marinate 30 minutes.

Transfer to oven and oast about 30-35 minutes, turning over once, until flesh is just opaque and flakes easily with a fork.  Temperature should read about 145°.  Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with sections of lemon and orange for squeezing.  Pour any sauce remaining in the foil packet over the fish.

Whole Grilled Lemon-Parsley Barramundi

I had been toying with the idea of grilling a whole fish for most of the summer but was a bit hesitant because I had never cooked a whole fish before, on the grill or otherwise.  However, there were some really lovely-looking whole barramundi at the grocery store yesterday for the right price.  I decided I would just have to suck it up and figure it out, especially since it was a gorgeous day for lighting up the grill.

The barramundi is a white-fleshed fish with a sweet, buttery flavor.  The flesh of the barramundi is quite firm, making it an ideal fish for grilling whole.  The fishmonger at the grocery store had scaled and gutted the fish, but I removed all of the fins prior to stuffing it.  They can be quite sharp and I didn’t want to take any chances cutting myself.  Furthermore, the fins will burn off faster than the flesh of the fish and I didn’t want them smoking or catching on fire.  There are tons of tutorials and videos online for how to clean and gut a whole fish.  I had seen my dad do it a bunch of times when I was younger and the fishmonger had taken care of most of my dirty work for me, but they are definitely worth a quick peruse.

We absolutely devoured this.  The flesh of the fish was perfectly seasoned – salty and sweet with a hint of herbaceous flavors from the parsley and acidity from the lemon.  The charcoal imparted a lovely smokey flavor to the flesh and skin, which was crispy and delicious.  The entire fish was moist and perfectly cooked.  Keep a close eye on the fish and use touch and sight to judge when the fish is cooked through.  Bear in mind that the fish will continue to cook for several minutes after being removed from the grill, so be sure to remove it as soon as the flesh turns opaque on the second side.

Whole Grilled Lemon-Parsley Barramundi

1 .75 lb. whole barramundi, gutted and scaled with fins and gills removed

3 tbs. olive oil

2 tbs. kosher salt

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, loosely packed

Non-stick cooking spray

Cut about 3 slices per side of fish to but not through the bone.  Rub inside and out with olive oil.  Season liberally with kosher salt, inside and out of the cavity.  Stuff cavity with parsley and some of the lemon slices.  Place the fish on a platter and top with a few more lemon slices.  Let marinate at least an hour.

Preheat charcoal grill to medium-high.

Make sure your grill grates are very clean and the grill grate gets very hot.  Spray the grill grate liberally with non-stick cooking spray just before adding the fish.

Place fish on the grill.  Cook fish, without touching, for about 5-6 minutes.  Using a spatula and tongs, carefully remove the fish from the grate of the grill.  Let cook another 3-4 minutes, for a total of 8-10 minutes.  Remove the lemon slices from the top of the fish and set aside.  Carefully flip the fish.  Replace the lemon slices.  Cook another 5-6 minutes before beginning to free the fish from the grate of the grill.  Cook another 3-4 minutes.  When finished, the flesh of the fish should be opaque and semi-firm to the touch.  The skin will be browned and crispy.

Carefully remove to a serving dish when cooked through.  Devour like wild animals (if you’re going to do exactly what we did, you can’t skip this step).

Breaded Pan-fried Cod with Roasted Vegetable Israeli Couscous Salad

I finally got around to making the Israeli couscous and vegetable mix I’d been talking about for weeks and weeks.  While it was so good I was kicking myself for waiting, it was so good because it was paired with the gorgeous cod fillet Zak picked up at the grocery store – so I couldn’t really kick myself too hard.  I breaded the cod in a tomato-bread breadcrumb, which tied everything together, as the Israeli couscous also contained tomatoes.  The fish was crunchy, crispy, juicy, and delicious – an excellent companion to the soft, sweet, room temperature couscous and roasted vegetables.

We both really, really loved this.  Zak wanted me to go back and edit his top ten favorites from last year, but I told him there was always next year.  He went back for seconds, and I am currently salivating thinking about the fixings I have for a crispy cod sandwich with some bread and butter pickles and a side of the couscous for lunch.  In fact, this post is actually a two-for-one, because I included the link after the jump.

Truth be told, I could have made an entire post about the delicious bread that made up the bread crumbs that coated this cod.  The light tomato flavor was the perfect partner to the slightly smokey, slightly salty flavor of the proscuitto.  The bread was a gorgeous reddish-pink color and perfectly soft and fluffy.  It was excellent as a snack or a sandwich bread, so if you’re thinking about making this dish, I high recommend you include the tomato-breading, since you will definitely scarf the rest of the loaf.  If not, I’m sure any old bread crumbs will do.

Breaded Pan-fried Cod with Roasted Vegetable Israeli Couscous Salad

Breaded Pan-fried Cod:

1 1 lb. wild-caught U.S. Alaskan cod fillet, cut into 6 pieces

1/4 cup all-natural, whole wheat flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup tomato bread crumbs (see below)

1/4 cup canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

2 tbs. plain Greek yogurt, for serving

2 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves only, for serving

Place flour, eggs, and bread crumbs on three separate plates or shallow bowls.  Season all with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Coat cod fillets with flour, shaking off excess.  Repeat with eggs.  Roll in bread crumbs.  Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow mixture to set.

Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron pan.  Add fish with like-size pieces and cook, without touching, about 3-4 minutes for smaller pieces and 5-6 minutes for larger pieces, until breading is golden brown and crispy.  Flip and cook an equal amount of time on the other side.

Work in batches to ensure even cooking, changing out oil if necessary.

Serve with roasted vegetable Israeli couscous salad with plain Greek yogurt and cilantro.

Roasted Vegetable Israeli Couscous Salad:

3 cups homemade chicken stock

1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous

1 medium yellow squash, roughly chopped

1 large tomato, cut into about 8 wedges

4 tbs. olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400º.

Cover a medium baking sheet with tinfoil.  Toss squash and tomato with 2 tbs. olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.  Roast in oven about 30 minutes or until caramelized and cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.  Add couscous, reduce heat to low, and cover.  Cook about 8-10 minutes until stock is absorbed and couscous is cooked through.

Toss together couscous and vegetables.  Whisk together balsamic vinegar and remaining 2 tbs. olive oil.  Season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper and toss with couscous mixture.  Let cool to room temperature.

Tomato Bread:

1 cup crushed canned tomatoes (we used homemade from my dad, so if you use store bought, make sure you squeeze them through your hands a few times)

3 tbs. tomato paste

1 slice proscuitto

1 tbs. olive oil

3 cups bread flour

1 1/2 tsp. gluten

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. dry active yeast, proofed/re-hydrated

Non-stick cooking spray

In a medium sauté pan, heat olive oil.  Add proscuitto and cook until deep golden brown.  Drain, reserving oil, and mince.

Place reserved oil, proscuitto, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, flour, gluten, salt, and proofed yeast in the bread machine pan.  Set cycle to dough.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 200º.  Turn off heat.

Spray bread pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Place dough in the bread pan and let rise in oven for 45 minutes to an hour until it doubles in size.  Remove from oven.

Preheat oven to 375º.

Bake bread for 30 minutes.  Let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Use about 3/4 of the loaf for any desired purpose.  Use remaining end, preferably very slightly stale, to make breadcrumbs by pulsing in food processor until very fine.

Seared Albacore Tuna with Kohlrabi Coleslaw

It’s been pretty darn hot the last several days here in Cleveland.  I couldn’t even bring myself to fire up the grill.  Instead, I decided to quickly pan-sear these beautiful albacore tuna steaks and pair them with a light, cold, and refreshing kohlrabi coleslaw.  Kohlrabi is the perfect coleslaw ingredient – it tastes very much like cabbage, though slightly sweeter and more subdued, with a crunchy texture reminiscent of an apple.  It’s flavors are clean and paired very well with the sweet onion, yellow squash, and zucchini used in this simple, healthy coleslaw.  I used wasabi-soy almonds for some texture, but any nut would be equally delicious, I’m sure.  The rich flavor of the tuna was the perfect pairing to this fresh summer coleslaw.  Overall, it made for a really lovely dinner, though I’m sure the coleslaw would be a welcome addition at any summer pot luck or picnic.

Seared Albacore Tuna with Kohlrabi Coleslaw

Seared Albacore Tuna:

2 1/2 lb. albacore tuna steaks

1 tbs. whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1 tbs. canola oil

Splash of low sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Whisk together canola oil and low sodium soy sauce.  Let fish marinate about an hour.  Remove from marinade, reserving marinade.  Coat tuna with freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt.

Drizzle reserved marinade into a 10″ cast iron skillet.  Heat over high heat until pan is very, very hot.  Add fish and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked to taste.

Sesame-Soy Kohlrabi Coleslaw:

2 bulbs kohlrabi, peeled and grated or shredded in a food processor

1/4 large sweet onion, peeled and grated or shredded in a food processor

1/2 small yellow squash, grated or shredded in a food processor

1/4 small zuchhini, grated or shredded in a food processor

2 scallions, dark and light green parts only

Freshly cracked black pepper

2 tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbs. sesame oil

1 tbs. canola oil

1/2 cup wasabi-soy almonds

Combine kohlrabi, onion, yellow squash, zucchini, and scallions.

In a food processor, add freshly cracked black pepper, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce.  With food processor running, add sesame oil and canola oil and blend until well combined.

Add dressing to vegetables and toss well to coat.  Let sit, refrigerated, at least an hour to allow flavors to meld.  Top with wasabi-soy almonds just before serving.