So many folks claim that they hate eating trout. They love catching and keeping them, but many end up getting lost in the freezer. In Montana, our main, wild, fresh fish are trout. If you want to have local seafood, or Rocky Mountain Fresh Fish, find a way to fix trout that you enjoy.
Trout are great sport to catch and abundant in our local waters. The big rainbows from Canyon Ferry and Hegben Lakes are wonderful and as big as salmon.
These same piscatorial haters tend to love salmon. Trout and salmon are closely related species. They have similar habits and look the same. Most salmon come from salt water, but trout also can be migratory.
Salmon is a much stronger and oilier fish than trout or Steelhead. You tone down this strong, fishy flavor with spices and other flavors. My suggestion is to use a milder fish, like trout. If you have a special salmon recipe, then try it with your fresh caught trout. You may be surprised.
The other thing to do is try something crazy like stir frying your trout. These recipes often offer a more Asian flavor that seems to be more popular with modern fish eaters.
The key to Asian flavored fish recipes is fresh ginger and simplicity. This makes these dishes tasty, simple, and healthy.
Here is my latest attempt at a Trout Stir Fry!
Use fileted fish without the skin. Cut the clean fish into 2 inch pieces. Any flaky fish will do but I am using trout from Canyon Ferry.
The filets should be washed and dried. Put 2 tbsp of cooking wine, or white wine, over the fish pieces. This will remove the fishy smell and taste. Slice ginger into thin slices and add. I also took spring onions/scallions, and cut them into long, thin strips about 4 inches or so long. The top green leaves are for the end of the recipe. Allow the fish to soak in the wine, ginger, and onion for 10-15 minutes.
To cook the fish, add them into a pan with boiling water. Include the onion/scallions and sliced ginger. Boil fish pieces until they are floating. Be gentle when handling the fish pieces so that they stay intact. Drain when done.
Use a non -stick fry pan, or Wok, to fry/cook the fish. Add a little oil and the sliced garlic. The ginger should be thumbnailed sized. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic.
Prepare the sauce and mix. 1 ½ tbsp of Oyster or Hoisin sauce. 1 cup of water, 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 ½ tbsp of sesame oil, 1 tbsp of soy sauce and a splash of lemon juice. Add 1 tbsp of corn starch to the sauce and allow it to thicken for a few minutes.
Once the sauce has thickened, place the fish pieces gently into the sauce and pan. Now add a little salt and a tbsp of white wine or cooking wine, if needed. Simmer for a few minutes.
Serve with rice or ramen noodles.
Everyone has a different taste so make this recipe your own. I just used what seemed right and what was in the pantry. The dish turned out wonderful. The fresh fish pieces were delicious. This is a very different way to prepare fresh rainbow trout.
Instead of the usual fried fish, try something that will make your family, and friends want you to catch more trout!
Montana Grant
