From the By Hook & By Cook article from July 2017.
Corn-Husk-Grilled Trout with Chipotle Crème, Quinoa-Piñon Fritter, and Cilantro Salsa
By Andrea Meyer at the Love Apple in Taos (803 Paseo del Pueblo Norte; theloveapple.net; 575-751-0050)
This dish is a perfect example of the “regional and organic home cooking” promised by this tiny restaurant nestled in an old chapel on the west side of Taos. Chef Meyer is a passionate omnivore obsessed with sustainable agriculture, local meats, and foraged ingredients.
Serves 4
For the Lime Compound Butter
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- Zest of 2 limes
- Pinch of salt
- Combine the butter and zest with a pinch of salt and set it aside.
For the Corn Husks
- Steam 8 cornhusks until soft and pliable; cool and set aside
For the Quinoa-Piñon Fritters
- 1/4 cup quinoa flour
- 1/8 teaspoon xanthum gum
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
- 1 teaspoon each lime and orange zest
- 1/3 cup carrot, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 1/8 cup toasted piñons
- 2 egg whites
- Mix all ingredients through piñons and let batter rest 30 minutes.
- Beat two egg whites until stiff, fold into batter.
- Fry fritters, 2 tablespoons batter per fritter, in grapeseed or canola oil until crispy and cooked through, approximately 6 minutes.
For the Cilantro Salsa
- 2 cups cilantro, most stems removed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon honey Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until very smooth.
For the Chipotle Crème
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cilantro, stemmed and finely chopped
- 3 chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce, chopped
- Mix with whisk until all ingredients are incorporated. Heat in small saucepan just before serving, about 5 minutes, until just simmering and slightly thickened.
For the fish
- 4 whole trout, cleaned, with bones, heads, and tails removed
- Open each piece of fish and nestle, skin side down, on a softened cornhusk.
- Salt fish and place on a hot grill, husk side down.
- Grill on medium high for 5 minutes.
- Lower heat, add 1 tablespoon lime compound butter to each fish and finish another five minutes, until butter is melted and trout is just heated through.
- Serve with the chipotle crème over the fish, alongside hot quinoa fritters topped with cilantro salsa.