My brother-in-law, Jim, is Jeremiah Johnson reincarnated. He goes on an annual hog hunt - although no hogs have ever been caught...he fishes - running rivers or frozen lakes - and he loves to camp. He's taught his entire tribe to fish and to love it - baffling to me. I like to sit in a boat with a fishing pole in my hand and float in the sun...no bait, no chance of catching anything and thereby no chance of having to actually TOUCH a fish fresh out of water. I like to eat fish, in restaurants and am not a fan of cooking fish with their heads and tails still on...so it was EXTREMELY brave of me to accept the lovely (if fish can be lovely) trout that my neighbor brought over...my neighbor could rival my B-I-L for the Outdoorsman of the Year Award - he caught this trout in Lake Sammamish and it was HUGE...I'm surprised he didn't stuff it and hang it over his mantel - I'm sure my B-I-L would have! Those he doesn't stuff he eats...he is an expert on cooking trout so when I was given this trout I immediately called hi
m to ask how to prepare it.
Fortunately the fish had already been cleaned...I know I couldn't have done that...just rinsing the thing off with it's eyes watching me was hard enough! Here's what Jim told me to do... put a little flour in a Zip-lock bag with lemon pepper and give the trout a good dusting after it was rinsed and dried...I tried but the bag just wasn't big enough...the fish was about 18 inches long! So I patted the flour mixture on the fish - heavily coating the eye area so it would stop looking at me! I filled it's belly with slices of onion and lemon and then put it on my griddle outside on the grill...so my house wouldn't smell like fish. Dang easy to fix and cook.
When I told the mister that he would be having fresh grilled trout for dinner he blew off his best friend Jack and came straight home...he loved the trout - ate it for dinner one night and then ate the left-overs in a salad the next...he sends his thanks to Scott the Super Fisherman of Sammamish, as do I.
Grilled Trout with Onions and Lemon - From Jim Geurts, Fish King
1 large trout
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
4 slices onion
4 slices fresh lemon, plus more for serving
Rinse and dry fish. In a large plastic Zip-lock-type bag, combine flour and lemon pepper. Put the trout in the bag and lightly shake to coat the fish inside and out. If the fish is too big for the bag, lightly pat the flour on the outside of the fish and the inside with your hand or a spoon. Place onions and lemons inside the fish, slightly squeezing the lemons as you do. Butter a large frying pan or griddle and place on the grill outside - then your house won't smell but you can certainly cook this inside. Cook over medium-high heat, with lid closed, for about 5 to 6 minutes, carefully turning to other side and cooking for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. To check for doneness, open fish and pull lightly on the spine bones near the head - if it releases easily then the fish is done. Serve with additional lemon and cooked onions. Serves 3 to 4. (My B-I-L advised me to cook the trout with the head and tail on...but you can remove it before cooking - I was not that brave...so when the trout was cooked, before serving I had the mister do the honors.)
"The problem with talking is that nobody stops you from saying the wrong thing." ~ Jerry Seinfeld
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One year ago today: Donut Muffins
