A Wicked Scoff...Recipes and Food with Newfoundland and New England Influences.

This blog is dedicated to bring recipes, photographs, anecdotes, reviews and other insights on everything food related. As the name suggests, "A Wicked Scoff" will have a regional flare, a fusion if you will, of both Newfoundland and New England perspectives of the culinary world around me. Thanks for visiting and please come back often as updates will be frequent. Oh yeah, I also like tasting and cooking with regional beers. Expect a beer of the month, often paired with recipes.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Steelhead Trout Burgers

Anyone who has ever gone trout fishing (or "troutin" as we say in Newfoundland) probably knows it doesn't get much better then having a shore lunch or breakfast at the cabin consisting of fresh trout (either whole or fillets) fried in bacon fat, served with bacon, fried potatoes and toast. Although a simple meal, it's hard to beat the combination of the smokey bacon, super fresh fish and savory potatoes. Recently I took this classic meal and did my best to turn it into a burger. What I have come up with is a steelhead trout burger served on a toasted potato roll, with lettuce, sliced tomato and crisp bacon strips. The kicker is a homemade peppery lemon-dill mayo.

With or without a food processor, preparing the fish couldn't be easier, and the mayo takes just a second to whip up. If you don't have fresh trout, salmon works equally well. Here's how I did it all.

Steelhead Trout Burgers

- 16-20oz fresh steelhead trout fillet (free of bones and skin removed)
Using a large knife, chop the fish into small pieces, about 1/2 inch, pieces (or pulse in a food processor, but don't overdo it, about 5-6 pulses).
In a large bowl, combine the chopped fish with the following:
- juice and zest of half a lemon
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs (such as panko)
- 1 egg, beaton
- splash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 Tbsp fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt

Mix with hands and form into 4 burger patties. cover with wax paper and let set up in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

When ready to cook, these may be grilled or broiled, but I gave mine a quick saute.

In a large non-stick fry pan, over a medium heat, add:
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Once oil shimmers, add the 4 burgers. Cook on one side for about 4 minutes and flip, and continue to cook to desired doneness. Another 3 minutes should cook it all the way through., It's important not to overcook these so they retain their moistness. Season the top with a little more pepper.

Peppery Lemon-Dill Mayo

In a bowl, mix the following:
- 1 cup mayo
- 3 Tbsp dill, minced
- juice and zest of a lemon
- 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
- 1/8 Tbsp kosher salt

While the burgers are setting up, prepare the toppings, by cooking some good quality bacon until crisp, and slicing a tomato, and chopping some lettuce. For the rolls I use potato bread hamburger buns (which I love by the way because they are high in protein and fiber, but taste like white bread), which I toast. To assemble, put a layer of of the mayo on the bottom, followed by lettuce, tomato and bacon., follewed by the burger and a dollop of the mayo.


This might be the best fish sandwich I've ever had!

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