Crab & Thyme-Stuffed Rainbow Trout

with Ratatouille and Tarragon Tomato Bisque
— Yields 4 servings

Ingredients for the trout:

4-8 ounce whole boneless Rainbow Trout, headless 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves ½ cup tomato, chopped & seeded ½ tsp chopped garlic salt & pepper to taste

½ lb jumbo lump crab ½ cup blanched, chopped asparagus ½ cup homemade mayo or aioli 1 Tbls chopped shallot

1. Combine crab, thyme, asparagus, tomato, garlic, shallot, mayo and salt & pepper in a bowl and mix well.

2. Open trout, skin side down, and divide mixture evenly on each fish.

3. Bake at 400°F in a convection oven for 10-12 minutes on an oiled pan

Ingredients for the Ratatouille:

1 cup diced zucchini 1 cup diced eggplant ¼ cup each diced red, yellow, green peppers 1 Tbls basil chiffonade (sliced in this strips) 1 cup white wine ½ cup canola oil

1 cup diced yellow squash ½ cup diced yellow onion 1 Tbls minced garlic 1 Tbls fresh thyme leaves ½ cup tomato paste salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large pan, sauté eggplant, squash, and zucchini in canola oil until tender. Add onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs and continue sautéing until tender.

2. Add tomato paste, salt & pepper, and cook until tomato paste starts to stick to the pan.

3. Add wine and scrape pan to loosen tomato paste. Cook until just a little liquid remains.

4. Refrigerate overnight

5. Warm as needed over low-medium heat. Do not add liquid.

Ingredients for the Bisque:

1 chopped shallot ½ cup tomato paste 1 ½ Tbls fresh tarragon, chopped ¼ cup brandy 1 clove minced garlic

2 cups heavy cream ¼ cream sherry 2 Tbls canola oil salt & pepper to taste

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté shallots and garlic in canola oil until translucent.

2. Stir in tomato paste and cook until color starts to change and paste starts to stick to pan.

3. Add brandy and sherry away from the flame; then cook until reduced by half, stirring constantly.

4. Add cream and tarragon and reduce by half again, stirring often.

Putting it all together:

Steam up some basmati rice. Make a bed of rice on the center of each plate. Lay stuffed trout on rice bed. Garnish with quenelles of ratatouille. Drizzle with tomato-tarragon bisque.

From the recipe files of: Chef Jeffrey Fairman