Steamed Trout (Forelle Blau)

Ingredients:

2

Trout cleaned

Use a pot with an insert where the fish can be laid out flat.

Rinse the trout in cold water and lightly salt the inside.

Prepare the stock. Clean the vegetables. Slice the onions. Leek (light part only), celery and carrot can be cut in half. Pour the water in the pot, add the vegetables, spices and some salt. Simmer for 20 minutes.  

Add the vinegar and return to a boil.

Place the trout on the insert into the stock.

When the stock returns to a boil turn down to a gentle boil and cook for 12 minutes.

When you can easily pull out the fin at the top of the fish, it is done.

Melt the butter and brown slightly.

Drain the trout and serve with browned butter and lemon juice.

Note: If fish is rinsed too thoroughly the skin will not turn the bluish color, but as many people eat the skin as part of the meal rinsing it more thoroughly improves the taste.

1

Onion

1

Carrot

1 sticks

Celery

1

Leek

1

Bay Leaves

6

Peppercorns

2

Cloves

Salt

2

Sprigs Parsley

3 quarts

Water

5

Juniper Berries

2/3 cup

White Vinegar

¼ lb

Unsalted Butter

Lemon

This is a traditional way to serve whole fish in Bavaria. The main type of fish served this way is the Carp, which is an almost scale free variety and farm raised in dedicated ponds. I remember as a kid that for holidays when Carp was on the menu, they were swimming in our bathtub for a few days, to loose the musky taste as they are bottom feeders.

If you should be in the area and see Karpfen Blau on the menu give it a try.