Recipe of the Week: Hot-Smoked Trout with Potato Pancakes and Beurre Blanc Sauce
Do not pay extra for smoked fish when you can easily make it at home. Delicate in flavor and moist, smoked fish can be used on salad or as a filling or delicious dip. Try using salmon or shrimp to change the recipes, you will have great results. This recipe is great served at a brunch or luncheon with potato pancakes and luscious beurre blanc sauce, creating an unforgettable dish. Serves eight. (Chef tip: I use a stainless-steel stove top smoker to smoke my fish. Compact and easy to use, I usually put it on top of my grill or stove or even in the oven. I prefer to use oak, cherry or hickory chips when smoking fish.)
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (16 ounces) fresh boneless trout fillets
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup smoking chips
BEURRE BLANC:
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Scallions, finely sliced, for garnish
To make curing mixture, combine kosher salt, brown and granulated sugars, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix to evenly distribute ingredients. Rub curing mixture all over the trout fillets. Poor wine and water over the cured fillet in a glass baking dish. Allow to stand for two hours in the refrigerator.
Rinse well under cold running water.
To hot smoke trout, place smoking chips in a commercially manufactured smoking box or a homemade smoking apparatus. Heat smoking box over medium-high heat until chips begin to emit smoke.
Place trout on a wire rack and place in smoking box above chips. Cover box and smoke until done, about 10-15 minutes or so depending upon thickness of fillets.
Start the beurre blanc sauce. Place the shallots and wine in a sauce pot and place over high heat. Reduce to half the original quantity. Add cream, salt and pepper and boil for five more minutes.
Lower the heat to a bare simmer and slowly whisk in the butter a piece at a time. Continue adding butter until the sauce will hold no more. Season the sauce with white pepper and salt, to taste. Set aside over warm water.
Remove fish from smoking box when done and serve immediately with potato pancakes and beurre blanc sauce.
POTATO AND ONION PANCAKES
(serves eight)
4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Cook onion and celery for 10 minutes over moderate heat. Sprinkle flour on top of vegetables and continue cooking, stirring constantly for two minutes. Slowly add the milk while stirring and cook for five minutes. When mixture thickens, remove from heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust, transfer to mixing bowl to cool.
Shred potatoes into same mixing bowl as milk mixture. (Do not rinse shredded potatoes, and squeeze out excess liquid.) Stir potatoes into milk mixture. Add eggs, stir, and season with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a skillet and heat. Add one tablespoon of potato pancake mixture to the skillet, forming round patties. Cook five minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove to a sheet pan. Place pan in a preheated 350°F oven to keep potato pancakes warm before serving it. Repeat cooking process until all of the potato mixture is used. Serve on a large platter with sour cream on top with smoked trout.