From a trout hatchery in New Castle, Virginia comes a fresh trout recipe.
Trout-á-touille
An over-the-top preparation and presentation coined by sous chef at Grisette, Hans Doxzen. His “Summer Sauce,” as it’s called, “is so versatile, you’ll want to make it all the time,” says Chef Donnie Glass.
For the sauce
- 1-2 each whole eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, depending on size (enough to fill a sheet tray)
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, halved or eighthed
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- Red wine vinegar to taste
For the trout
- 2 whole trout per person, butterflied, head on
- 1 globe eggplant, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 summer squash, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon basil, roughly chopped
For the Sauce: Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss the whole eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, garlic, and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet for about 30 minutes, until they’ve developed plenty of dark brown color.
Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes. Add contents to a blender (working in batches if necessary), and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine chinois into a large mixing bowl. Rinse the blender, and return the mixture to the blender. Blend on high and stream in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil until the sauce tightens up a bit and has a nice glossy appearance. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of red wine vinegar.
For the Trout: Open the butterflied trout flesh side up on a cutting board. With a sharp, sturdy knife, cut out the backbone, leaving each filet attached at the head. (Or, let your fishmonger do this.) Dress and season your trout and thinly sliced eggplant, squash, and zucchini with olive oil, salt, pepper, and picked thyme.
On a cutting board, carefully layer the vegetables along the trout filets in the same shape as the filets themselves and roll them up around one another, making a roulade of trout and veggies. Stabilize the roulade with long skewers and chill for at least 30 minutes so everything sets up and holds its place nicely while cooking.
To cook and plate: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place trout on a pan and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Check for doneness, and, if the trout is cooked through, the skin is starting to crisp up on the outside, and the veggies along the inside of the roulade are hot hot, it’s ready. Heat sauce in a sauté pan until warm throughout. Spread a pool of sauce on a platter, and arrange the trout roulades on top. Garnish with fresh basil.
See the full article and more recipes in our June 2023 Issue.
