Grilled Whole Trout Wrapped In Pickled Grape Leaves Food

GRILLED FETA WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, za'atar and Aleppo pepper in a shallow bowl or small baking dish. Add the feta and spoon the oil over the top. Set aside to marinate 1 hour.
• While the cheese marinates, place the grape leaves in a bowl of room-temperature water and let soak.
• Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Drain the grape leaves and lay in a single layer on the towels; pat very dry. On a clean surface, overlap the grape leaves slightly to form a square. Place the block of feta in the center (reserve the flavored oil), then fold the grape leaves to cover the cheese like a present.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and prepare for indirect grilling: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn off half the burners. Toast the pita over direct heat, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Brush the outside of the wrapped feta with some of the reserved oil and place on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Cook until the grape leaves are crisp and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and move to direct heat; grill until lightly charred on the second side and the cheese is warmed through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a board or platter and serve with the pita, olives, walnuts and/or apricots, plus any remaining flavored oil.

GRILLED WHOLE TROUT WRAPPED IN PICKLED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Deeply score the outside of the fish three times on each side. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Cut three of the lemon slices in half and set aside. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the fennel fronds and remaining lemon rounds. Close the fish and slide a halved lemon round into each of the score slits.
• To wrap the fish in the grape leaves, lay it on one side and shingle the leaves over the side of the fish facing you, leaving some overhanging over the top. Delicately flip the fish, so now it's leaf side down, and repeat shingling on the other side of the fish until it's fully wrapped. (It's okay if some fish skin is still exposed.) Use 3 or 4 pieces of kitchen twine, depending on the length of the fish, to wrap around the fish and tie a knot. Tuck the leaves under the string as best as you can to create a little wrapped package. This will help keep the fish together while grilling. Fish can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Allow the fish to temper for 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling.
• Prepare your grill to medium heat.
• Drizzle olive oil over the grape leaves, using your hands to rub it around. Lay the fish perpendicular to the grill gates and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your fish. The grape leaves help to keep the moisture in and steam the fish, so you have some wiggle room. Once the first side is charred and the fish has released itself from the grill, use two metal spatulas to delicately flip the fish over to finish cooking on the other side. Use a paring knife to check the meat along the spine of the fish for doneness.
• Cut the string and squeeze over fresh lemon juice to serve.

GRILLED TROUT WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• For the trout: Rinse the grape leaves and place in a bowl. Cover with hot water and allow to sit for 15 minutes to remove the salt. Rinse the trout and pat dry. Rinse 2 lemons in hot water and thinly slice. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemons. In a bowl, whisk the lemon juice with 4-5 tablespoons of the oil. Season the trout with salt and pepper to taste. Rinse the thyme and reserve some for garnish. Stuff the trout with the 2-3 lemon slices and the remaining thyme. Drain the grape leaves. Wrap 2-3 leaves around each trout and tie with kitchen string. Brush with the oil mixture and place on a greased gill. Cook, turning once, for 15-20 minutes.
• For serving: Serve the trout with the remaining lemon slices and garnish with the remaining thyme.

GRILLED WHOLE TROUT

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
• Season the cavity of each trout with salt and pepper. Add 2 sprigs each of dill, parsley and tarragon along with enough lemon slices to line the cavity of each trout. Tie the trout in several places with kitchen twine so the herbs and lemon slices are secured inside.
• Rub the grill grates with oil and lightly oil a fish grill basket. Place the fish in the basket and grill on 1 side until lightly charred, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip the basket and continue to cook the fish until lightly charred and the flesh is opaque, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the halved lemon to the grill cut-side down and cook until charred, about 6 minutes. Gently remove the fish from the basket. Cut the strings, transfer to a serving platter and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

GRILL-ROASTED WHOLE FISH STUFFED WITH FRESH HERBS AND WRAPPED IN PANCETTA

Steps:

• Grilling Method: Indirect/Medium Heat
• Rinse fish and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper inside and out. Place fresh herbs inside cavity of fish. Lightly oil both sides of fish. Wrap seasoned, oiled fish with pancetta or bacon that is thinly sliced and unrolled. Wrap fish loosely, mummy-style, with the pancetta, leaving head and tail exposed.
• Place fish in center of cooking grate. Cook until opaque, but still moist in thickest part (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from grill.
• Place fish onto platter and serve immediately.

GRILLED PANCETTA-WRAPPED TROUT WITH VERJUS, CRUSHED GRAPES, AND FENNEL GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, and when it foams, stir in the red onion. Add the thyme, a healthy pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Sauté about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft. Add the sorrel to the pan, and stir to combine. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the cream, and cook, stirring continuously, about 3 minutes, as the cream reduces and coats the onions. Taste for seasoning, and transfer to a plate to cool completely.
• Lay the trout, skin side down, on a cutting board, open like a book. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and spread the sorrel onions on one side of each fish. Fold the fish back together, and wrap each trout with a piece of pancetta, spiraling the meat around the fish like the stripe on a candy cane. Refrigerate the fish until 15 minutes before cooking.
• Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking.
• Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, pound the grapes until they're partially crushed. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the parsley, a healthy pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
• When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, brush the trout with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the trout 3 to 4 minutes on each side, rotating the fish a quarter-turn after a couple of minutes, to get the skin crispy.
• Scatter the watercress on a large platter, and place the trout on top. Spoon the warm verjus sauce over the fish, and top with the crushed grapes. Serve the fennel gratin at the table.
• Place the grapes, shallot, and verjus in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by three-quarters. Let the mixture cool until lukewarm.
• Transfer to a blender, and, with the motor running, add the cold butter a little at a time, blending until the butter is just incorporated. Taste for seasoning, and add a little lemon juice, a pinch of pepper, and more salt if you like. Return the sauce to the pan, cover, and keep in a warm place. Reheat just before serving.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Toast the fennel seeds in a small saucepan over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, until they release their aroma and are a light gold color. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the seeds coarsely.
• Trim the root end of the fennel, cut the stalks off where they meet the bulb, and peel off any outer layers that are brown or bruised. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, leaving the core intact. Place the halves, cut side down, on a cutting board, and slice the fennel thinly lengthwise. You should have about 6 cups of sliced fennel.
• Toss the fennel in a large bowl with the onion, thyme, bay leaves, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, and 1/3 cup olive oil. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of pepper.
• Slice the potatoes on a mandoline into 1/16-inch-thick slices. Toss the potatoes in a medium bowl with the cream and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Add the potatoes and parsley to the fennel, scraping all the cream into the bowl. Toss well to combine, and taste for seasoning.
• Arrange one layer of potato slices in the pan, overlapping them slightly, on the bottom of a gratin dish. (For this recipe, I like to use a copper or black iron dish, so the potatoes get extra crisp.)
• Toss the remaining fennel-potato mixture again, and arrange it over the layer of potatoes. Pour all the remaining creamy juices over the top. Bake about 45 minutes, until the potato is cooked and the fennel is golden and slightly crispy on top.
• You can stuff and wrap the fish the morning before you plan to grill it. Both the fennel gratin and the verjus sauce can also be prepared ahead of time and reheated before serving.

GRILLED TROUT WITH GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• Seafood Alternatives: small salmon, small bluefish, small Arctic char
• In a medium bowl, combine the cooked rice, lemon juice, olive oil and lemon zest with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat a barbecue grill or preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Thoroughly rinse the fish inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
• Spoon the rice mixture into the cavity of each fish.
• Lay 6 grape leaves in a rectangle on the work surface, slightly overlapping so there are no large gaps.
• Set one of the trout on top and wrap the leaves up and over the fish.
• Lay another leaf or two on top of the fish if necessary to fully enclose it.
• If grilling, tie a few pieces of kitchen string around the fish to secure. Repeat with the second fish.
• Brush the grill with oil and cook until the fish is just opaque through (make a small slit through the leaves to check), 4 to 6 minutes on each side.
• Alternatively, put the fish in an oiled baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes.
• Discard the strings and serve.

WHOLE GRILLED TROUT

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Rub each trout generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt; sprinkle inside of cavities with salt and black pepper. Place half the lemon and onion slices into cavity of each trout, along with minced garlic, and place a sprig of rosemary and thyme into cavities.
• Turn preheated grill down to low and place the trout directly onto the grill; cook until flesh flakes easily and the skins are browned, 6 to 7 minutes per side, flipping once.