Hot Smoked Trout

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

7 hrs 20 mins

Servings:

This dish is served at New York City’s Gramercy Tavern when local trout are seasonally available. Executive chef Michael Anthony includes three simple-to-make onion components — a sweet-and-sour marmalade, a reduction of yellow onions and wine, and pickled cipollini onion slices. Soaking slices of these diminutive sweet onions in a mild solution of rice vinegar, sugar, and star anise is a quick way to soften their texture and give them a mild licorice edge, while the beets in the pickling mix give the onions a fuchsia hue.

The air will be scented with applewood while the trout quickly smokes, but you can turn on a fan to ventilate or heat the pan on an outdoor grill to smoke the fish, if you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to the soak applewood chips?

Yes, you should soak applewood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before using them to prevent the wood from burning or catching fire.
What should I serve with this recipe?

This flavorful smoked trout doesn’t need much else besides a good sourdough bread and butter on the side.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Aside from serving the pickled onions as a garnish for the smoked trout, you can use them anywhere you might want to add a pickled accent — on a charcuterie board, layered in a tuna sandwich, or atop your next hamburger or hot dog.

Suggested pairing

Try pairing this recipe with a fruity and fresh California Riesling, such as Desire Lines Cole Ranch.

Make ahead

The onion puree and marmalade may be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days. The pickled cipollini onions can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

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Ingredients

Pickled Cipollini Onions

7 ounces fresh cipollini onions, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise, and separated into rings (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 small (2-ounce) red beet, peeled and quartered
1 star anise
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Onion Puree

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
3 to 4 tablespoons water, divided, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste

Onion Marmalade

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup ruby port
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste

Smoked Trout

1 cup applewood chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Olive oil
4 (3-ounce) skin-on trout fillets, patted dry
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Additional Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
Pickled Cipollini Onions

Directions

Make the pickled onions

Combine onion rings, beet, and star anise in a medium bowl. Bring vinegar, 3 tablespoons water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Pour hot pickling liquid over onion mixture. Place a small plate on onions to submerge, and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and refrigerate until onions are pickled, at least 6 hours or up to 12 hours. Discard beet and star anise. Keep chilled until ready to use.

Make the onion puree

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 15 to 20 minutes. If onion begins to brown, stir in 1 tablespoon water. (Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed.) Add vinegar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost evaporated and flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in salt and pepper. Transfer onion mixture to a blender; add 2 tablespoons water, and process until smooth and thick, about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon water, if needed, to reach a smooth, thick consistency. Transfer onion puree to a bowl; cover and keep warm at room temperature until ready to use, or refrigerate up to 2 days.

Make the onion marmalade

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, vinegar, wine, and port. Bring to a simmer over medium; simmer, undisturbed, until flavors meld and mixture reduces to 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and salt. Season with pepper to taste. Set aside.

Make the smoked trout

Drain wood chips, and spread evenly on an aluminum foil–lined roasting pan. Lightly grease a wire rack with oil, and set over wood chips. Sprinkle trout evenly with kosher salt; place trout, skin side up, on rack. Place roasting pan on stovetop burners over high until chips begin to smoke, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cover pan with several layers of foil, and seal very tightly to keep smoke inside pan. Cook, undisturbed, 8 minutes. Turn off heat, and let trout stand in sealed smoky pan, about 5 minutes. Remove trout from pan; gently pull off and discard skin.
To serve, spread onion puree and onion marmalade on individual plates, and top with trout fillets. Drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and chives, and garnish with pickled cipollini onions.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, July 2024