Smoked Trout Chowder

Smoked Trout Chowder - (Yield 1 gallon)

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces double smoked bacon, diced small

2 large yellow onions finely diced

4 stalks celery “ “

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

4 ounces unsalted butter

1 cup AP flour

2 1/2 quarts natural clam broth

6 large Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut in a uniform dice

1.5 quarts heavy cream, reduced by half

Tabasco sauce

3 or 4 Limestone Springs trout filets, brined, smoked and flaked

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, washed, dried and coarsely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat up a large heavy bottomed saucepot and when it is warm, add oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is warm, add the bacon and render it in the pot until it just begins to turn crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and reserve. Add the diced celery and onions to the pot and sweat them over a low flame until they have become very soft and opaque, about 10-15 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked, there should be an abundant amount of fat swimming in the pan. Supplement with unsalted butter and melt. Stir well to combine and then sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir together, slowly adding flour until the fat and vegetables become a paste like peanut butter in consistency.) Cook the paste together over a low flame for about ten minutes or so, stirring frequently and allowing the roux to brown very slightly.

While you are cooking the roux, warm the clam broth and add the bay leaf and thyme. Put the roux into a heavy gauge pot, add the warm broth and beat with a whisk to incorporate the roux and the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot well to make sure to incorporate all the roux into the chowder, and cook together stirring constantly for about twenty minutes or until the floury taste has dissipated. Add the potatoes, stir well to combine, and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add the reduced heavy cream and cook until the chowder comes together, Season with Tabasco and just before serving, add the trout, parsley and bacon. Stir, taste, add salt and pepper as needed and enjoy!

Limestone Springs on Springs

Smoked Trout Salad with Bitter Greens and Tangerine - (Serves four)

Ingredients:

2 brined and smoked trout fillets, bones and skin removed, gently broken into large pieces

1 bunch watercress, stems removed

2 ounces baby arugula, picked over

1 head radicchio and one Belgian endive, both split in half, core removed, lightly oiled and lightly grilled

1 shallot, minced

Fleur di sel or other finishing grade sea salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

Orange, tangerine, or tangelo supremes (seeds and membrane removed)

Extra virgin olive oil (good quality/ not too strong) or grape seed or walnut oil

2 ounces pecan halves, roasted and salted

1 cup tangerine juice, reduced by ¾ and strained

Balsamic reduction (or pomegranate molasses)

Method:

Combine the trout and greens in a large salad bowl. Slice the grilled endive and break apart the radicchio and add them to the bowl. Add the shallot

and season sparingly with salt and pepper. Gently add the citrus supremes to the bowl and add a small amount of oil to salad to season it. Toss together gently, add the pecans and toss again. Divide salad between four plates, making sure to collect the booty from the bottom of the bowl and distribute according to how well you like your guests. Drizzle the salads with tangerine juice and the balsamic reduction and serve immediately with the cold beverage of your choice. Enjoy!

Limestone Smoked Party Platter

coming soon...

Smoked Trout Spread

Smoked Trout Spread - (Makes 0ne Pint)

Ingredients:

3 fillets brined and smoked trout, skin and bones removed and coarsely flaked

3 ounces plain whole milk yogurt, preferably organic

1.5 ounces crème fraiche

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

extra virgin olive oil ( fruity and mild )

1 teaspoon freshly chopped shallot

siracha or other hot sauce to taste

sea salt

fresh dill weed, sliced

Method:

Place all the ingredients except for the dill and the olive oil into the bowl or a food processor and pulse until combined. Taste , correct seasonings, and add olive oil to moisten / flavor spread. Pulse again to combine and remove

from food processor and transfer to bowl. Gently stir in the fresh dill. Taste and correct seasonings.

Smoked Trout Spread Canapés:

Use the crackers or breads of your choice, add a dollop of the trout spread and dress it up with sprouts, micro greens, shaved apple or julienne celery root. A little champagne with it sure wouldn't hurt either!

Smoked Trout Spread Brekkie

Substitute smoked trout spread (or use the leftovers ) for smoked salmon or your usual schmear on your morning bagel- you'll be glad you did!

TLT & A (Trout, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado)

TLT and A - Smoked trout sandwich with lettuce, tomato and avocado. (Yield: one delicious trout Sammy)

Ingredients:

Two slices sandwich bread of choice, lightly toasted

1 fillet brined and smoked trout, bones and skin removed

Favorite mayonnaise

Delicious tomatoes (heirloom or vine ripened)

Ripe avocado

Shaved red onion

Greens of choice/ arugula, watercress, sunflower sprouts, etc)

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Carefully and patiently assemble sandwich for self and possibly one for lucky friend. Open a cold beverage and enjoy mightily. Tell lucky friend you smoked the trout yourself and prepare to harvest praise.