Serves2
- Active time:20 min
- Start to finish:20 min
SAM BEALL, BLACKBERRY FARM, WALLAND, TENNESSEE
October 2009
-
1/2
cup
cup boiling-hot water
-
1
cup
mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, chives, basil, arugula flowers, radish flowers, sorrel, lavender, salad burnet, anise hyssop, mint, lemon thyme, lovage, elderflowers, and/or purslane, chopped if necessary
-
5- to 6
oz
2 rainbow trout fillets with skin
-
2
tablespoons
mild olive oil, divided
-
2
cups
bunch watercress, coarse stems discarded
-
4
oz
trout roe
-
Pour boiling-hot water over herbs in a bowl and let steep while cooking trout.
-
Pat trout fillets dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.
-
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook trout, skin side down, without turning, until barely translucent on top, 3 to 5 minutes (depending on thickness of fish).
-
Meanwhile, toss watercress with remaining Tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and divide between 2 wide soup plates or shallow bowls. Lay trout over watercress and spoon 2 oz roe on top of each fillet to cover. Pour warm herb broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding herbs, then spoon about 2 Tbsp broth into each serving bowl.