Hometown Trout

This isn't so much of a recipe - it's just how we eat trout. Hometown is a blended seasoning from the Pacific Northwest. Nothing to write home about but it is magnificent on trout.

  • Purchase one trout per adult, looking for nice bright eyes and firm flesh. It's nice to have the fishmonger remove the head and tail for you.

  • Preheat grill.

  • Rinse trout thoroughly in cold, cold tap water - you want to do this with all your fish. Remember, they came from the icy depths. Many chefs will rinse saltwater fish in icy saltwater.

  • Pat dry with paper towels (both sides) and place on a large baking sheet.

  • Dust liberally with a good blended seasoning.

  • Grill skin side up for 2 minutes (on hight heat) and then flip using the biggest, firmest spatula you've got. Mine is stainless steel.

  • Cook another 2 minutes (check so see that it flakes easily) and serve.


A note on spices;

There are several dependable sources for quality blended seasonings: The Spice House in Chicago and Penzey's Spices both have fantastic catalogs (though nothing beats in-person tasting and smelling). Chef Paul Prudhomme's seasonings are available in most grocery stores (but you can't rip those open to smell). For this recipe, I use Hometown, a blend made out in Port Townsend, Washington. I stock up on it every time we're in Seattle (it can be found in Town & Country markets).