Charred and Stuffed

I prepared this dish for friends years ago while I was visiting in England, where trout is abundant. But rest assured, this recipe works very well with so many other whole fish such as; Steelhead, Coho and Artic Char —also a big favorite of mine and a few of my close friends. 

 - The trick with grilling any whole fish is to have a very clean grill; surface-cast iron is my preference, well-seasoned (not salt & pepper) meaning oiled by brushing w/vegetable oil or sprayed with vegetable spray when cold. And that's before lighting the grill. 

- I prefer using lump charcoal for this recipe, but no sweat, a gas grill is OK. Add a couple pieces of soaked wood chips to the grill a few minutes before cooking the fish - it adds another layer of flavor.

- This part is key; the grill must be very hot so the fish does not stick. Also, you’ll notice in this recipe that the fish is brushed with olive oil. Make it look like it just came out of the spa, after a well oiled ayurvedic massage. 

- Use a very wide spatula to turn and remove the trout from grill. 

- Cooking a whole fish. Feeling a little intimidated and insecure? Forget therapy, just do it. You may however: after turning over the trout, add it to a well greased pan and finish grilling inside the pan. But that is if and only if you think you can’t hold it together — I mean the trout together.  

This recipe is really that easy, it's just a step beyond cooking a burger.

Charred Stuffed Trout

Makes 4 servings | From Adventures in Grilling cookbook by George Hirsch with Marie Bianco, ©1996

One 8 ounce salmon fillet
1/2  cup bread crumbs from day-old French or Italian bread
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, (I prefer the new olive oil mayo)
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 egg whites
6 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
Four 12-tounce rout, cleaned, gutted, and boned
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Pre heat the grill to high.

Process the salmon in a food processor using the on/off button until it is ground but not pureed. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, dill, hot sauce and pepper and blend for 30 seconds. Add the egg whites and mix for 1 minute. Fold in the shrimp with a rubber spatula.

Fill each trout with a quarter of the stuffing. Secure with skewer or toothpick. Brush the trout with the olive oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side. Lower the heat to medium or move the trout to the cooler edges of the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Really fresh fish does not require a sauce; just drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, and drizzle a little fresh lemon- top off with a little fresh dill on top.

Chuao

Chuao is named after the cocao producing region is Venezuela. This fine bittersweet Venezuelan chocolate coupled with Abuela's (Grandmother's) family recipe is at the core of Chuao Chocolatier's (pronounced chew-wow) hand crafted hot chocolate. Venezuelan bittersweet chocolate is considered by many to be the finest cacao in the world. This high quality ingredient and uncompromising dedication to their family traditions is at the roots of Venezuelan born Antonorsi Brothers fine artisan chocolate products. This hot chocolate is rich and smooth, very authentic.

Pampered Cows

It's no secret how much fondness I hold for my friends in Ireland as they are truly one of the most friendly and hospitable people on earth. I actually think the phrase tender loving care was born there. Here's proof, in this TV ad from KerryGold.

Kerrygold's  slogan is "The Best By A Country Kilometer", and they are spot on. 

Dubliner Cheese: Once you try it, you'll be hooked. I am. It was first described to me as a mixture between Cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano. This description is quite accurate. Dubliner tastes of a mature Cheddar with the sweet aftertaste of Reggiano. Created by the Irish company Kerrygold and named after Ireland’s capital city, this cheese shares traits with several well-known cheeses but the combination creates a flavor that is completely unique. 

Note: Serve alongside a full-bodied Cabernet, a freshly pulled pint of Guinness, or simply melted between a few slices of crusty brown bread. 

The Baconian Method

Great Scott! It's a combination that only Sir Francis himself could have concocted—bacon (yes, bacon), peanuts, butter and sugar—making a memorable, distinct, decadent confectionary sensation—called Sir Francis Peanut Brittle. It's a whole different kind of Georgian peanut brittle and a must try. The peanuts are of the Spanish variety, which has a tinge of sweetness, an ideal quality for sweets. The Bacon comes from the lgendary Benton's smokeshouse. No expanation needed there. Just the best Tennessee smoker. 

Why called Sir Francis Bacon? It only makes sense. He's the only scientific pioneer whose dedication to scientific methods and undying dedication to his work ended by him experimenting with the preservation of meats. Could he actually have invented bacon?

Sir Francis Bacon Peanut Brittle

The Apiarist's Cake

As summer begins to fade and we settle into the back-to-school rhythm of things, the phrase busy as bees takes on a whole new meaning; closing pools, fall clean-ups and many outdoors chores. 

Eating locally made honey helps build your immune system. A bee keeper, aka an apiarist may manage a colony of bees that can have upwards of 50,000 members. But, the art of the apiarist is not only about making honey, it's more about the preservation business these days. 

I talked bees with J. Smith, who takes his bees very seriously. He is based in County Kerry, Ireland where he has devoted his life to preserving the species and is constantly spreading the word of the critical condition the bee population is in globally. The one thing he said that really stuck with me was his explanation of how the bee colonies "live together with a collective consciousness - something humanity should adopt." His honey is available for local merchants and markets; sustainability is paramount.

The perfect combination of locally made honey and citrus is what inspired today's post, as seen on an episode of GH Living it UP! Enjoy a slice of my Orange Honey Cake with a hot cup of Barry's Tea, a Good Stuff pick. BTW - this recipe is a really easy one to whip up for a impromptu gathering since you can make, bake and eat this cake, all in under one hour! Enjoy!

For My Orange Honey Cake Recipe