Pan-seared cornmeal-crusted brook trout with braised Swiss chard and garden beans in peppered bacon and sweet corn vinaigrette
For the vinaigrette:
4 ears sweet corn, cooked and stripped from cob
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil for dressings
1 cup vegetable broth or water
Chives
For the fish:
4 boned brook trout (head removed, tail on) or other fresh trout
yellow cornmeal for dredging
oil for cooking
salt and pepper
For the vegetables:
4 strips peppered bacon, chopped
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped with stems removed
1 quart green and yellow beans, blanched and chopped
Chef’s Tips: Use a neutral, mild-flavored vegetable oil in the vinaigrette and for cooking the trout
Corn vinaigrette:
Blend the corn and rice vinegar in a blender. Slowly add the oil. Add the broth until a smooth consistency is achieved. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Strain through a sieve. Reserve.
For the trout:
Dredge the skin of the trout in cornmeal. Salt and pepper the meat and sear in hot oil. Cover and cook over medium heat until just cooked through. Keep warm.
For the vegetables:
Cook the chopped peppered bacon until crisp. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted. Add a pinch of water. Add the beans and cook until warmed through.
To Serve:
Lay one trout on each plate. Top the tail end with the vegetables. Coat the rest of the fish with a thin even layer of the corn vinaigrette. Top with fresh chopped chives for garnish.
