Steelhead Trout Recipe |
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IT WAS THE DEAD OF WINTER when Travis Brink took over as chef of The French Café in Omaha last year. After having spent nine years mastering his skills in Las Vegas, Brink had returned to his native stomping grounds.
With Nebraska pride, he looked for local products to revise the menu’s offerings and stumbled across Blue Valley Aquaculture in Sutton. Jeff Schelkopf’s steelhead trout was just what Brink was looking for.
“(They) have such an amazing and clean tasting product that when I first tried it, I promised myself that I would meddle with it as little as possible, so those qualities had a chance to really shine and come through,” Brink said.
Brink successfully accomplished that with his recipe below. It’s been a hit ever since he offered it on a special menu for the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder’s meeting.
Blue Valley Trout w/ Basil Jasmine Rice, Asparagus & Lemon Vinaigrette
Prepared by Chef Travis Brink for The French Café, Omaha
Steelhead Trout
6 steelhead trout fillets
20 Asparagus spears, sautéed
Salt and pepper
Cut each fillet in half. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the trout skin side down into a hot sauté pan with olive oil. Cook the fillet on its skin side for 3-4 minutes, and then pass the sauté pan for 3-4 minutes into a 400 degree oven. As the trout goes into the oven, plate the jasmine rice, and then place five sautéed asparagus spears on top of rice. When the trout comes out of the oven, flip it over so the skin side is up. Place three fillet halves on each plate. Drizzle a spoonful of lemon vinaigrette over the fish and around the plate.
The trout should come out of the oven with the top of the flesh still a little pink. When the trout is placed on top of the asparagus and rice, the steam from underneath “finishes” cooking the trout, locking in moisture.
Serves 4
Jasmine Rice
1 cup jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
2 Tbsp olive oil
Brunoised skin of 1 half preserved lemon (see sub recipe)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 2-quart sauce pan, heat the olive oil. When oil is hot, add rice. Stir rice until it turns slightly opaque and is coated with oil. Add water. When the water reaches a boil, remove from heat and cover the pot with a lid or wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Place in oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Add preserved lemon and basil chiffonade. Stir lightly to incorporate, taking care not to mash the rice.
Preserved Lemon
8-10 lemons, with few blemishes on skin
1 tsp of coriander seed
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
Kosher Salt
Pressing firmly, roll the lemon back and forth several times on hard surface. From the end of the lemon with the stem, cut the lemons lengthwise twice, stopping about an inch from the end so it remains a single piece (if you were to press the lemon flat, it would form an “X”). Squeeze the juice from each lemon into a mixing bowl and reserve.
After all the lemons have been juiced, fill the lemon cavities with salt. Place in airtight container, preferably a mason jar. Add coriander, cinnamon and bay leaf. Pour salt over the lemons until they are completely covered. Pour reserved lemon juice over mixture and cover. It may require some additional freshly squeezed lemon juice, but the salt should have a “slushy” consistency.
After a couple of days, remove the lid from the container and press down to coax as much juice out as possible. Repeat this step once more a couple of days later.
After 3 weeks, the lemons should be ready (they will keep for 6 months to a year). Before using, rinse excess salt from lemons under gently running water.
To use, finish cutting the lemon into quarters. On a cutting board, skin side down, gently press the lemon quarter so that it lays flat. Cut away as much of the pulp and bitter white pith as possible. Discard. Julienne or brunoise the skin. Add to almost any dish to brighten flavor.
Lemon Vinaigrette
2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp shallot, minced
2 tsp parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. Shake or stir well before serving.
If you plan to make this vinaigrette in advance, wait until you are ready for service to add parsley. This will help the parsley retain its bright green color and texture.
