Good things may come in small packages, but really good things come in small packages that come out of the oven.
You deserve Christmas morning more than just once a year. Or twice, if you include birthdays. Haven't you been good? Don't you deserve more than two measly bows to unwrap in the next 12 months? The suspense. The guesswork. The shaking the box to figure out what's inside. The agony of wondering what it could be! It's the best. If life is so full of surprises, why do so few of them come wrapped in tissue and tied with a bow?
Tonight, the best gift you get is the one you give yourself. And whoever is coming to dinner. This dish is based on a lesser known sauce from Provence called Sauce Mistral, named for the winds that huff and puff through southern France. The sauce is made from almonds, which hang from so many of the trees there. Stuff a butterflied trout with a creamy paste of crunchy ground almonds, garlic, and herbs. Tie the trout with three pretty bows, but despite your best efforts, the crème fraîche starts to ooze out and bubble and brown and the almonds toast and the garlic roasts, and the whole thing smells of Provence and a delicate decadence. Everyone gets his own extremely chic perfect fish package, and instead of shaking to figure out what's inside, there is suddenly a whole of sniffing. Untie the cords, and voila, Christmas morning. Three bows to unwrap in one night? Not too shabby.
Be sure not to forget the greatest lesson of Christmas: Give and ye shall receive. Bon app.
Roast Trout Stuffed with Sauce Mistral Recipe
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup ground blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh chervil leaves (see note #1)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 butterflied, cleaned 1-pound trouts
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
PROCEDURE
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, combine the almonds, garlic, chervil, and thyme. Grind to a rubble, then add the olive oil and crème fraîche and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle the outside of the fish with extra virgin olive oil, and rub all over the fish. Season the inside and outside with salt and pepper.
4. Lie the fish skinside-down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Divide the almond mixture between the two fish, and smear all over the inside of the fish. Fold the fish back over itself, and secure with three strips of cooking twine.
5. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the flesh of the fish is opaque and flaky, the skin slightly golden, and the stuffing bubbling and fragrant.
NOTES
1. Feel free to replace chervil with flat leaf parsley.
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Kerry Saretsky: Franglais: Peanut Butter Cup Profiteroles
My tried and true is: Skinless filet that is spread with aoili, deli (horseradish) mustard and generously covered with fresh tarragon that is cut to release the flavor; then grilled over mesquite and served over wilted spinach.
The Tarragon is such a soulmate to the salmon that I rarely make it without, whatever else i do.
I've a freeze full of headless trout, will have to try this recipe soon :)
Jean C
JeanC's Cat House and Shooting Society
Ever notice how they always include so many colorful fresh appetizing vegies when they show meat?
1. Equal parts lemon juice and olive oil, add in some zest for extra punch and a dollop of dijon mustard, mix it well, slather over some skinless filets (or if you want to keep the skin slather it over the rest of the salmon avoiding the skin so it can crisp up). Bake it in the oven at 400F until it's slightly still pink in the centre and serve over rice, sweet potatos, whatever starches or veggies you like. You can BBQ it as well like this. Don't forget the salt and pepper if you want but honestly, if the salmon is good this marinade is so yummy you won't even miss the salt.
2. Miso and maple syrup make a great marinade as well. No need for salt here at all since miso is salty.
3. Chopped up lemongrass you can find in asian supermarkets, add a little garlic and red pepper flakes, season the salmon with salt and pepper and sprinkle this topping over it, you can grill it or pan sear it in hot peanut oil and serve with cellophane noodles or vermicelli and herbs such as mint.