Cold Roasted Beet Salad with Smoked Trout - Aug 1, 2012

Cold, roasted beets are getting quite a bit of play in my summer kitchen.  I wrapped our CSA beets (from both deliveries #6 and #7) in foil and roasted them in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour, a la Mark Bittman.  I let them cool a bit on the counter before chilling them in the refrigerator, all the while leaving them wrapped in their shiny aluminum suits, mind you.  Then, when dinner time rolls around, I simply have to pull one out, unwrap it and remove it's peel, which comes off in my hands quite easily and tidily.

For this dinner, I sliced the beets in narrow cross-sections and layered them in the bowls with fresh basil leaves.  I drizzled olive oil and balsamic vinegar over this and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Next, Nick and I topped our bowls with crumbled feta cheese, roasted walnuts and tinned smoked trout.  This was quick, cool and delicious for a summer supper.

Smorrebrod - March 29, 2012

Open-faced Danish-style sandwiches, known as smorrebrod, are a new favorite at our house.  After seeing some pictures online and ordering one last weekend at a local restaurant, Nick and I decided to try making some at home.  We still have some marble rye leftover from our Reubens, so we toasted some slices to use as our base.  Next we spread some cream cheese and then piled on our toppings: dandelion greens, thinly sliced cooked golden beets, canned smoked trout, hard-boiled eggs, and pickled onions.  Delicious!  And, the combinations are endless (although, apparently the Danes have some rules, which I'm sure we did not follow).  We just happened to use what we had on hand.  It turns out that I have a weakness not only for Danish furniture, but also for the cuisine.  One of those things is slightly more accessible to me.

Roasted Kale and Parsnips with Truffle Oil and Smoked Trout - Feb 22, 2012

This was what Nick and I dined on last Sunday evening. I roasted a pan of kale and parsnips tossed in olive oil and then dressed them with some truffle oil (not 'ruffle' oil as the picture might lead you to believe). We added some tinned smoked trout, a pantry staple around here, and toast to complete the meal. It was nothing fancy, nor particularly inspired, but I did enjoy the combination of the parsnips and truffle oil. And, I know I'm really late to the party here, but kale chips are delicious.

Sunchoke and Smoked Trout Spread - Jan 15, 2012

Nick and I have been enjoying some 'snack-y' dinners of late.  It could have something to do with the NFL playoffs, but I'm not sure.  This was the latest rendition of our favorite sunchoke and smoked trout salad from Asparagus to Zucchini, that I've posted many, many times before.  Instead of a bed of greens, we decided to serve it up party-style with slices of carrots and beauty heart radishes and crackers.  It was good, as usual.

Smoked Trout and Quinoa - Mar 24, 2011

Remember that little getaway Nick and I had up North? Well, that luscious looking smoked trout was one of the goodies we picked up along the way. All of you regular Dinner Clubbers already know how much Nick and I enjoy smoked trout. Not only is it packed full of flavor, but it's a nutritional powerhouse as well. It was clearly the star of this dish. To showcase it's smokey deliciousness, I cooked up some quinoa and stirred in some fresh spinach right at the end to wilt it a bit. This I flavored with some fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Next we added some chunks of creamy avocado and then topped everything with the flaked, smoked trout. Nick and I were both quite pleased with our dinner, and we have some trout leftover for another meal, as yet to be determined.

Celery and Smoked Trout Salad - Aug 3, 2010

Celery and Smoked Trout Salad with Olives and Feta

This was an idea found in Asparagus to Zucchini, where they recommended this salad with pieces of tuna. I decided to use up one of our smoked trout fillets from Star Prairie Trout. To make the salad, I simply chopped several stalks of celery, including the leaves, and mixed it with some kalamata olives, feta cheese and flakes of smoked trout. The dressing is olive oil, lemon juice and a splash of white wine vinegar. It was simple and refreshing with a good mix of flavors.

Smoked Trout Salad on Blanched Kohlrabi - June 21, 2010

Smoked Trout Salad on Blanched Kohlrabi Slices

This is a version of our beloved trout salad. Instead of sunchokes, this time I used chopped kohlrabi mixed in with the trout and yogurt. I sliced one of our kohlrabi bulbs and blanched the slices quickly on recommendation from Asparagus to Zucchini. Next time, I think I will just leave them raw, as I'm a big fan of their crunch. Plus, that makes a simple meal even simpler. We ate a little lettuce on the side as well, which made me think this would make a great sandwich combination.