A glint of silver and a flash of fractured light--blue, green and red--mark the spot where a moment before a fish had been. In the dappled fast-water world of mountain streams, the rainbow trout reigns supreme. It is a fish that stirs the imagination of fishermen and cooks alike.
Named for the "rainbow" band that runs the length of its olive-green skin, the rainbow trout is America's most popular sport fish. Wild trout are prized by fly fishermen for their fierce spirit and wily nature (and "catch and release" is the honored rule). Plentiful fish from hatchery-stocked lakes and streams are the mainstay of many a family fishing trip--and many a fish fry. And those with a taste for "catching" trout without a hook can find farmed fish at almost any seafood counter.
The culinary appeal of rainbow trout is simple: The flesh is mild and tender, and the bones are few and easy to remove. The small, consistent size of farmed rainbows makes offering uniform portions a breeze. Whole or in fillets, this fish holds up well in a variety of recipes and techniques. It can be baked, boiled, poached, grilled, steamed, pan-fried--about the only preparation not well suited to the trout is stir-frying, because quick stirring over high heat breaks up the flesh.
Farm-raising trout allows producers to easily control growth and provide fish that are consistently sized. Generally weighing 3/4 to 1 pound each, these trout offer a perfect single-serving size.
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Farmed fish have a somewhat milder flavor than wild trout. They also have a consistent flavor from fish to fish and season to season, whereas wild trout, depending on where they are from and what they've been eating, can have varying degrees of flavor intensity. Flesh color varies as well, from creamy white in farmed rainbows to a deep salmon-pink in some wild fish. It's no coincidence that trout are members of Salmonidae, the same family as salmon. They are very similar in many ways--body shape, flesh type, bone structure--and, in fact, large trout are interchangeable with salmon in recipes.
With a lower oil content than salmon, farm-raised rainbow trout have only 138 calories per 3 1/2-ounce serving, 59 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams total fat and .9 gram of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Figures for wild trout vary, depending on where they are from, but they will have fewer calories and less fat, including omega-3s, than farmed.
Cooked whole, possibly with a stuffing, the fish makes a generous serving. Some find eating a whole fish needlessly intimidating. It's easy. Simply cut the top fillet of the fish down to the backbone, then lift off and discard the whole backbone with ribs, tail and head (if still attached). The remaining fillet sits whole on the plate, ready for carefree eating.
Trout fillets will weigh 1/4 to 1/3 pound each, a perfect size for pan-frying or broiling. (If your seafood market has only whole trout, ask to have it filleted.) The easiest way to cook fillets is also one of the best. Simply coat the fillets in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, then pan-fry to a golden brown.
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To make a quick sauce, transfer the cooked trout fillets to a plate and cover to keep warm. Then add a little white wine or lemon juice to the pan, with a nut of butter if you like, along with chopped fresh herbs, capers, thinly sliced mushrooms--whatever you like--and cook just to heat, then spoon over the trout. For hearty appetites, serve two fillet portions, or accompany one fillet with plenty of sauteed or steamed vegetables alongside.
Because of its mild flavor, trout benefits from assertive companion ingredients, such as capers, dill, green or sweet red peppers, ginger, lemon and so on. Coating the fish in cornmeal instead of flour before pan-frying creates an incomparably nutty, crunchy coating for this delicate fish. Use your imagination. Add some of your favorite ingredients and create your own culinary version of trout.
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\o7 Flavors from the Mediterranean coast--olive oil, peppers, cumin and garlic--are a delightful foil for the delicate flesh of trout. If you like, replace the trio of peppers with a single large sweet red, green or yellow pepper.
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THREE-PEPPER TROUT
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium sweet yellow pepper, cored and sliced
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, cored and sliced
1/2 medium green pepper, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Dash ground cloves
Salt, pepper
4 large trout fillets, to equal 1 1/2 pounds total
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add sweet yellow, red and green peppers. Saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, cloves and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
