Recipe – Rainbow Trout en Papillote

A favorite recipe from one of our fishing guides…en papillote is just a fancy French term for meaning we’re cooking it in parchment paper.

 1 (2 lb) whole trout or other fish, cleaned, head on

1 cup couscous

2 ½ teaspoons salt, divided

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 small bunch of fresh oregano

1 small bunch of fresh parsley

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 whole lemon, sliced thin

1 cup grape tomatoes

I cup artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

½ cup white wine or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse couscous in cold water and drain well in fine mesh strainer, then lay out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (do not use wax paper). Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt over couscous and set aside. Cut parchment paper into a 15 x 48 inch sheet. Fold in half and lay on baking sheet. Unfold and lay fish diagonally on sheet pan on top of one layer of parchment paper. Sprinkle fish with rest of salt and pepper inside and out. Place herbs inside cavity of fish along with half of lemon and half of red onion. Arrange couscous on all sides. Place garlic and rest of onion and lemon on fish and lay tomatoes and artichoke hearts around outside of couscous, creating a wall. Pour wine or chicken stock over fish and dot with butter. Fold over edges of parchment paper, stapling if necessary, to create an almost airtight seal. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Carefully open and serve.