Nice to get out fishing again in water that is not frozen.
I didn’t catch anything in my first few trips but usually ‘my lake’ does not start to get decent fishing around the first of June into the second week of July.
Of course there are other fish than Rainbow in the lake, however, they seem to be the best sporting fish for me.
Catching a two-pound rainbow on a light weight fly rod is a real treat. To see the fish leap out of the water, and to feel it turning, twisting, fighting to free itself from a small barb-less hook in its mouth, is pretty exciting for this little cook.
When I catch a nice-eating sized Rainbow in the spring I don’t mess around with any fancy kind of dish because I want fresh fish now ... so simply fillet the fish, cook it in a hot cast iron cooking pan with butter, lemon zest and lemon juice, and of course some fresh dill. A six to eight-ounce piece of rainbow should take about six minutes to eight minutes to cook, three or four minutes on each side.
You can also use this recipe to cook the fish in tin foil over a small campfire and bring the sauce with you.
Pretty tasty treats in the outdoors.
There are of course so many ways to cook trout and everyone has their favourites.
I like to try different ways to cook the fish or to make up a nice sauce to add directly on the fish, or on the side in a serving dish.
Here is a nice dish for Rainbow trout. You could of course also use it on salmon.
Most trout and salmon recipes can be switched depending which fish is going in the frying pan, the barbecue or the campfire.
Rainbow Trout
with Basil Cream
• 4 Rainbow filets about 6 to 8 ounces each
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Sauce
• 2 dozen fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
Season sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Brush both sides of the fillets with butter and season with salt and pepper.
For the sauce, take the basil, wine and garlic, put into a blender then process to a smooth puree. Put the sauce in a sauce pan and stir in the cream. Bring to a medium heat and cook until the sauce is reduced by one half.
Whisk in the lemon juice and butter, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper, keep warm. This sauce can be made while fish is cooking. Put the fish on an oiled barbecue at medium heat. Turn once — this should take about three to four minutes per side. Put the fish on plates and spoon the basil sauce over the top. A delightful sauce for trout or salmon.
Bye for now and Goood Cooking.
Ken Wilson is a freelance columnist with the Tribune/Advisor.