Grilled Rainbow Trout with Spring Vegetables Recipe

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette

⅓ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon whole mustard seed, toasted and cracked
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Salad

4 (6-ounce) pieces rainbow trout, skin on
8 whole fresh ramps
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups young arugula
½ cup pea shoots
8-10 whole fermented ramps (see Chef’s Note)
8-10 small radishes, thinly sliced
8-10 Hakurei turnips, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Whisk vinegar, mustard seed, syrup, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking until well combined; set aside.

2. Preheat grill. Brush trout and fresh ramps with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill trout and ramps 3 to 5 minutes per side, until fish skin is charred and ramps are tender; set aside.

3. Combine arugula, pea shoots, fermented ramps, radishes, turnips, grilled ramps and ¼ cup prepared vinaigrette. Top each salad with grilled trout. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Chef’s Note: To prepare fermented ramps, dissolve 4 tablespoons kosher salt into 2 cups water in a nonreactive container with a lid. Add 2 pounds cleaned ramps and submerge completely in brine. Seal the container, place at room temperature and open every few days to release carbon dioxide and check for mold. Skim off the harmless mold if any occurs. Ferment 1 to 4 weeks, or until ramps taste sour. Refrigerate once fermented to desired sourness.