Pan-Roasted Trout with Toasted Farro, Fava Beans, Morels and Salsa Verde

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAFE COLETTE

From: Chef Charles Brassard, Café Colette, Williamsburg, NY. Yield: 1 serving.

Trout:

1 whole trout

as needed, vegetable oil

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. fresh chives

Toasted Farro:

1 cup farro

1 ounce olive oil

½ onion, minced

1 clove garlic, grated on microplane

3 cups water

salt and pepper, to taste

Fava Beans:

1 cup fava beans

Morels:

½ cup morels

as needed, butter

Salsa Verde:

¼ cup parsley

¼ cup chives

¼ cup chervil

1 teaspoon capers

½ teaspoon anchovy paste

as needed, olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

For toasted farro: Preheat oven to 300°F. Toast the farro on a baking sheet for approximately 30 minutes, until it is golden brown. Sweat the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add the farro, and stir to coat all grains evenly. Add 3 cups of water, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook on low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until farro is tender. Toss farro in olive oil, then cool.

For fava beans: Blanch beans for 45 seconds in a pot of boiling water. Shock in ice water; peel and set beans aside.

For morels: Trim, wash and cut morels in halves or quarters, depending on the size. In a pan over low to medium heat, sauté in butter. Cool, and set aside.

For salsa verde: Chop all the ingredients and combine with enough olive oil to cover the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

For trout: In a pan over high heat, sear the trout in vegetable oil. When one side has turned golden brown, flip the trout over and place it in an oven heated to 400°F for about 5 minutes. When the fish is done, a trace of pink will still be visible.

While the fish is cooking, saute minced garlic in olive oil. Add farro and toast in oil. Reduce heat, and add morels to warm. Then, add the fava beans and warm. To plate, place fish on top of farro, fava beans and morels with salsa verde. Finish with lemon juice, parsley, and chives.