Seafood: Trout with Citrus Nuoc Cham Butter

By SharonE

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Grated or minced zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup Nuoc Cham Sauce (1/8 c dark brown sugar, 1/8 lime juice, 1/8 c fish sauce, 1/4 c water, 1/2 garlic clove minced, 1 green thai chili, minced)
• 2 teaspoons Curry Salt
• 3 heads romaine lettuce, cored and coarsely chopped
• 6 (8-ounce) trout fillets
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Nuoc Cham Sauce:
Combine the brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, water, garlic, and chilies in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 wks or freeze 2 months.

Place the butter, lemon zest and juice, Nuoc Cham Sauce, and 1 teaspoon of the Curry Salt in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, until thoroughly blended. Scrape the butter out of the food processor onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, forming it into a rough log. Using the plastic wrap, mold the butter into a smooth, uniform log about 6 inches long, then wrap the log tightly in the plastic wrap and twist the ends to secure. Place the butter in the refrigerator for 2 hours to firm up (if you’re short on time, slip it into the freezer for 30 minutes).

Heat the grill for direct heat cooking to medium (350°F to 375°F).

Lay out two sheets of aluminum foil, each about 18 inches long, on a work surface. Divide the chilled butter into 12 equal pieces. Divide the lettuce evenly between the foil sheets. Place 3 trout fillets on top of each bed of lettuce, season them with the remaining 1 teaspoon Curry Salt, and top each fillet with the tomatoes and 2 pieces of the seasoned butter. Bring up the sides of the foil and wrap loosely around the fish, folding the edges and crimping the seams to seal the packets closed.

When the grill is ready, place the foil packages on the grill grate, close the lid, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until a thin skewer inserted into one of the fillets comes out warm. Remove the packets from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before opening.

Open the packets and transfer the trout and vegetables to plates. Serve with the remaining pieces of seasoned butter.