TROUT ALLA GRAVLAX

RECENTLY, two friends were in a pickle about cooking fish they'd bought for dinner only to find out that they had to leave town. Not wanting to let it go to waste, I was the recipient of their largesse — a whole trout, filleted, from Citarella! 

It was already a late Friday night when I received such a benevolent gift and I couldn't just pop into the kitchen and start frying up fish, so I decided to relish the moment that was to come a few days later after letting the filets take in the vapors of salt, sugar and spices. It wasn't a conventional Gravlax considering the fact that I hadn't any dill in the house; however, I did have parsley and thyme, and rosemary and tarragon and red and green peppercorns. This is what resulted!

TROUT GRAVLAX

It may surprise you to know that Gravlax is extremely easy to prepare. All you really need is a few ingredients: super fresh fish — salmon being the originally intended fish for this particular dish (the Scandinavians prepare this over and over again to the point of national pride as the salt acts as a natural preservative) — and patience! It is best to prepare this at least 3 days before you intend to eat it (I like to wait about 5 but even 2 will do in a pinch if you're pressed for time). Food of  the Vikings!

For this recipe you'll need one whole trout, filleted and bones removed with a pincer.

3 tbs. Kosher salt
2 tbs. Sugar
1 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1 tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. whole red peppercorns freshly ground in a mortar and pestle
1 tsp. whole green peppercorns freshly ground in a mortar and pestle
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 shallot slice paper thin
1/2 lemon sliced paper thin

Mix the sugar and salt together and place in a small bowl and reserve. Chop all the herbs and mix them together and put that in a separate bowl and reserve. Mix the ground peppercorns, grate the ginger and slice the shallot and lemon, and reserve those as well. 

TROUT FILETS READY FOR ACTION

As you can see from the photograph above, the trout glistens. You will need a medium sized rimmed roasting pan which will fit the fish snugly. Line the pan with a layer of aluminum foil and then a layer of plastic wrap. Lay the fish on top. Blend the salt and sugar together and cover the trout with the salt and sprinkle all over both filets to create an even layer. Cover the salt layer with the herbs, peppercorns and ginger as shown in the photograph below.

Cover the filets with the shallot and then top with the sliced lemons.

Cover the fish with the plastic wrap, and then enclose the fish with the outside border of foil and close tightly. Place in the refrigerator and put a heavy bottomed pot filled with a can or two of tomatoes or vegetable on top of the fish to weigh it down and let the fish stand for at least 2-3 days. As I said, 5 is really the best.

When ready to serve remove the fish from the foil wrapping and place on a cutting board, Remove the lemon slices, scrape most of the herb mixture away from the fish and slice paper thin slices with a very sharp fish knife (a long fish slicing knife is best). 

Serve with toasts or black bread or rye crisps or if you like, alone like sashimi.

This makes a fabulous hors d'oeuvre or first course to a sumptuous meal.

Bon appetit!