Collard Waffles With Brined Trout And Maple Hot Sauce Food

COLLARD WAFFLES WITH BRINED TROUT AND MAPLE HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the maple hot sauce:
• Stir together the maple syrup and hot sauce in a small bowl.
• For the trout:
• Combine 4 cups cold water, brown sugar, smoked salt, and soy sauce in a 2-quart saucepan. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice, and stir into the mixture. Add the lemon halves. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium, and simmer until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, and let stand 30 minutes. Add the trout fillets, and let stand in the brine 45 minutes at room temperature or 4 hours in the refrigerator.
• Remove the fish from the brine; discard brine. Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Stir together the flour, kosher salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Dredge fish in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
• Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the fish fillets, skin side down, and cook until the skin is crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the fish, and cook until the fish is flaky, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the fish on a plate lined with paper towels.
• For the collard waffles:
• Microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on HIGH until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir together the buttermilk, potlikker, melted butter, and eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until well incorporated and no lumps remain. Fold in the collard greens.
• Lightly coat a preheated waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour 1⁄2 cup batter into hot waffle iron. Cook according to a standard waffle maker's manufacturer's instructions until waffles are cooked through. (Don't let the collards burn.) Makes about 8 (7-inch) round waffles.
• Divide the waffles evenly among 4 plates. Top evenly with trout, and drizzle each with 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup mixture. Sprinkle with micro greens, and serve immediately.

POTATO WAFFLES WITH SMOKED TROUT

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, mash with a fork or potato masher and let cool.
• Heat milk in a small saucepan or the microwave until warm to the touch but not hot. Sprinkle in yeast and sugar and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk egg yolks, sour cream and butter. Whisk milk mixture into egg mixture, then add dry ingredients. Stir in mashed potatoes. Let batter sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• In bowl of a standing mixer, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff. Fold into batter.
• Heat waffle iron. Using a pastry brush or paper towel, lightly coat iron with melted butter. Cook waffles (using about 1/2 cup batter per waffle) until golden and crisp. Butter the iron in between batches as needed. Serve waffles immediately as they are ready, or keep them warm in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve.
• Serve warm topped with crème fraîche, smoked trout pieces and salmon roe, with lemon wedges on the side.