NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/683373
80 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2016 W hile I was growing up, my parents often bought and served fish whole with bones intact and the head still on. It was cheaper, but I think my parents truly enjoyed the challenge of eating – navigating – whole fish. They believed that the tastiest, sweetest fish often have the tiniest, sharpest bones, and though I generally agree, it does not compensate for my being still hungry after most fish dinners with my family. For me, the slightest graze may deflate all appetite, invoke fear and stress. Getting fish bones stuck in the back of your throat is not a pleasant experience, and if you "suck" at eating fish, as my parents often tell me I do, this happens a lot – a certain memory still makes me shudder. Trout falls into this category. They are delicious and so much fun to catch, but they are also bony. They require too much care and attention to eat. It was one of those meals that I looked forward to but one that I also ate with much trepidation. After catching limit after limit of trout at Two Rivers State Recreation Area, however, I was inspired to learn how to debone trout this spring. And I have to say that this new skill has been life changing. (Thank you YouTube!) Thus far, butterflied, boneless grilled trout has become my favorite preparation of this fish. Though a bit time-consuming, deboning fish is worth the effort, and your guests will appreciate it. It's also an excuse to buy a new kitchen toy – fish tweezers. Servings: 4 Prep Time: 45 minutes Cooking Time: 8 minutes Ingredients: • 4 whole trout, scaled and deboned • Your favorite lemon and herb spice blend seasoning • Kosher salt, to taste • Olive oil for brushing Compound Butter • 4 tablespoons of salted butter, softened • 1 teaspoon of chive, chopped • 1 teaspoon of shallot, chopped • Zest of 1 lemon • Pinch of salt 1. To make compound butter, combine softened butter, chive, shallot, zest and a pinch of salt. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface, place compound butter in the middle and then roll up compound butter into a log. Twist the ends and refrigerate to harden. 2. Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Debone whole trout according to these directions: https://youtu.be/ KkmkbJtrhFY. Open up trout all the way down to the tail and remove as much of the spine as possible. Use fish tweezers to remove pin bones along both sides of the fish. Brush both sides of the fish with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides and generous amounts of the lemon and herb blend, but first, taste the lemon and herb blend to determine how salty it is. 3. Prepare grill to cook on high, direct heat. Once hot, clean grill grates thoroughly with a wire brush; cooking fish on a dirty grill will result in sticking. Cook trout skin-side up for about 3-4 minutes, or until meat is slightly golden. Slide a metal spatula under the fish and flip. Cook skin-side down for an additional 3-4 minutes or until skin is slightly crisp and fish is cooked through. 4. Serve fish hot with pats of compound butter on top. Warn dinner guests about leftover bones. ■ This recipe and photograph originally appeared on Jenny's Food for Hunters blog at Foodforhunters.com. Butterflied Trout with Compound Butter A preparation of boneless trout that will impress. PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN By Jenny Nguyen PHOT PHOT PHOT PHOTO BY O BY O BY O BY JEN JEN JEN JENNY N NY N NY N NY NGUYE GUYE GUYE GUYEN Deboned and grilled rainbow trout served with a compound butter of shallot, chive and garlic.