Herb Stuffed Whole Trout
Instructions:
Always elegant, always simple: there’s not a lot better than a whole trout stuffed with fresh herbs. Plan on one trout per person. Four 12- to 14-ounce whole brook, rainbow, river, red, or gold trout, scaled and cleaned 2 teaspoons salt, preferably kosher or coarsegrained salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 8 parsley sprigs 8 thyme sprigs Four 5-inch rosemary sprigs 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for the grill grate or the frying pan
Makes 4 servings
- Blot the trout dry with paper towels. Season the inside of each trout with 1â„2 teaspoon salt and 1â„2 teaspoon pepper. Lay 2 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 rosemary sprig in each trout’s body cavity, then close the cavity over the herbs. Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil over the skin of each trout.
- To grill: Lightly grease the grill rack with olive oil. Preheat a gas grill for medium heat or build a medium- heat coal bed in the center of a charcoal grill’s coal grate.
- Place the grate 4 to 6 inches from the heat source or coal bed. Place the trout on the rack directly over the heat source or the coal bed. Alternatively, oil a grill basket and place the trout in it.
- Cover and grill until browned and fi rm, about 5 minutes. Turn with a large metal spatula, cover, and continue cooking until the meat fl akes with a fork at its thinnest part, 4 to 6 more minutes. Let stand off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.
- To oven-roast:
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet or two skillets.
- Slip the trout into the skillet or skillets; cook for 3 minutes. Flip, then place the pan(s) in the oven and roast until the meat at the thin end of the trout fl akes when gently pulled with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the trout stand in the skillets at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.