Steelhead Trout with Tarragon Pepper Sauce

Tarragon is a fantastic herb. It tastes great and holds up to (and combines with) many other flavors. It's also delicious on its own, suspended in cream or butter. Here, I've matched it here with the bite of Szechwan pepper and tang of lemon juice. I used steelhead because it looked good in the store, but this recipe would work well with salmon too.


You'll need (this makes enough sauce for 2 people):

1 center-cut filet of fish per person
2T chopped fresh tarragon
3T butter
1t ground Szechwan pepper
1t lemon juice (from 1/2 a lemon)

Heat a small pan. Melt 2 T butter. Add tarragon and pepper. Turn off heat.

Rub fish with olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat a pan. Place fish, skin-side down, on hot pan. Cook 3-4 minutes; turn and cook 2-3 minutes on the other side.

Make sure butter is still hot. If not, reheat, then turn heat off. Stir in lemon juice. Vigorously stir in the last tablespoon of butter until sauce is creamy. Spoon sauce over fish.

Serve with mushroom barley (above),
warm bean salad or grain pilaf.

*Mushroom barley is easy-- just chop a bunch of mushrooms (I used shittake), saute in olive oil & butter, and add spices (I used dried oregano & savory). When mushrooms begin to brown, add 1c pearl barley & 3c chicken or veggie broth. Bring to a boil; lower to a simmer, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.