Marinaded Trout

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9 by 13-inch shallow stainless-steel roasting pan
• •3-quart nonreactive saucepan
• •Parchment paper
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Two wide fish spatulas
• •Large rimmed tray for an ice bath
• •Channel zester or sharp vegetable peeler

Instructions

1. 1

   Ready the trout

   Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Check the cavities for any remaining bloodline or scales, wipe them clean, and pat the trout dry. Arrange them in one layer in a shallow 9 by 13-inch stainless-steel roasting pan, alternating heads and tails so they fit without bending. Keep the fish whole; the skin protects the delicate flesh during the poach.

   Ask the fishmonger to clean and dress the trout while leaving the heads and tails attached. Very small fish are essential here because they cook through before the acidic liquor can make their outer flesh firm.
2. 2

   Sharpen the liquor

   Combine the Court-bouillon with White Wine (No. 164) and white wine vinegar in a nonreactive saucepan. This preserves the book's exact proportion: one volume of vinegar for every three volumes of court-bouillon. Warm the mixture to 175°F (80°C), when the surface begins to quiver but never boils. Pour it around the trout rather than directly onto them. The liquor should just cover the fish; if it doesn't, move them to a snugger pan rather than diluting the poach with water.

3. 3

   Poach at a tremble

   Cut a sheet of parchment to sit directly on the liquor and lay it over the trout, keeping every fish submerged. Transfer the pan to the oven and poach for 8 to 14 minutes, depending on size, until the thickest flesh beside the backbone reaches 145°F (63°C) and separates cleanly when tested through the cavity. Never let the liquor boil, because hard bubbling splits the skin and tightens the flesh. If it begins boiling, remove the pan from the oven at once. Ça se rattrape: leave the parchment in place and let the retained heat finish the centre gently.

4. 4

   Cool in the liquor

   Leave the trout untouched in their liquor for 10 minutes. Set the metal roasting pan inside a larger tray of ice water, keeping water away from the poach, and refresh the ice until the liquor is cool to the touch. Refrigerate the trout, still fully immersed beneath the parchment, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Don't lift or turn them while warm. The flesh is fragile now, but the acid firms it as it cools.

5. 5

   Cut the lemon

   Cut five or six shallow channels lengthwise through the lemon peel with a channel zester. If you don't own one, use the corner of a sharp vegetable peeler and work lightly. Slice the lemon crosswise into very thin, grooved rounds, about 1/8 inch (3 mm). This simple finish replaces the brigade's canelle knife without changing the presentation.

6. 6

   Dish the trout

   Lift each cold trout with two wide fish spatulas and let the excess liquor drain back into the pan. Arrange the fish on a chilled oval platter, alternating heads and tails. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml / 45 to 60 g) of the clear poaching liquor around them and lay the grooved lemon slices across the fish. Serve cold, with the bones left in as the original preparation intends. One cook, one stove, one evening. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose trout of nearly equal size so all four finish together. If the market has only larger fish, use two and divide them at the table; extending the poach until four large trout fit the plan only gives you dry flesh.
• •Use a clean, brisk white wine vinegar with 5 to 6 percent acidity. The quantity looks bold because it is meant to be bold: the acid poaches, firms, and seasons at once. A sweetened or flavored vinegar changes the dish.
• •Measure the finished Court-bouillon with White Wine (No. 164) before adding the vinegar, and don't reduce it first. Reduction concentrates its salt and destroys the intended three-to-one proportion.
• •Serve the trout within 24 hours for the finest texture. A dry, brisk white wine, such as Muscadet, suits the vinegar and freshwater fish without crowding either.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the Court-bouillon with White Wine (No. 164) up to two days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Measure it cold, then add the vinegar when you're ready to poach.
• •The trout can be poached and chilled in their liquor the day before serving. Keep them submerged and covered, then lift them only when the platter is ready.
• •Cut the lemon shortly before serving. Long soaking pulls bitterness from the grooved peel into the liquor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)