Almost three years ago we moved into our house.
While the house was in great condition from day one, I envisioned us knocking out walls and redoing the bathrooms within a couple of months. I thought we’d at least fix what the previous owners left undone—like the cracked window in the kitchen, or the small square of tile that’s missing from the kitchen backsplash that subconsciously eats away at my soul every time my eyes pass it by.
But something funny happens when you settle into life in a new space. You start living in it, and then you spend $1500 getting a radon ventilation system for the basement. And $500 installing a bathroom fan so there isn’t mold building up on the walls. And all of a sudden some of those cosmetic problems seem a lot less urgent. You’ll get to them in time, you think, as you stare past the crack in the kitchen window while washing dishes.
This month we finally started work on a project that we’ve put off for far too long, one that isn’t behind the scenes, one that we can truly enjoy for the years to come. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m not enjoying not getting radon poisoning—triple negative, eat it—it’s just that sometimes those expensive, unsexy projects can be a bit disappointing.
This month, we’ve started working on our backyard patio. It’s been an underutilized space for too long, and finally—finally—we have a nice table and chairs out there. We’re installing string lights (once we can calculate the proper wattage we need). We’re arranging a nice seating area. We’re getting our fence power washed and repainted.
But ever since that table arrived, we can’t stop—I mean won’t stop—grilling out. With a comfortable place to sit and chat and drink wine, this has become our main event of the evenings.
We’ve been grilling chicken and cauliflower. We’ve been seeing what looks most interesting at Conscious Carnivore and throwing that on the grill as well. And the asparagus. So much grilled asparagus.
This week, we grilled trout from the Artesian Trout Farm with eggplants and leeks and it may be one of my new favorite dishes. The vegetables get slightly charred and are complimented nicely with an Asian inspired sauce, and the fish comes off the grill just perfect. A bottle of rose will do you right with this dinner, trust me.
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 small shallot, minced
- Splash of fish sauce
- ¼ cup canola oil
- Canola oil
- 1-2 eggplants, about 2 pounds
- 1 pound leeks
- 1 pound fresh trout fillets, skin on
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- handful of cilantro, chopped
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
- Cut off dark green parts of leeks and split white and light green part in half lengthwise. Rise to remove any grit, then set on a baking dish cut side down.
- Trim stem off eggplant and slice lengthwise into ½ - ¾ inch thick pieces. Place on baking dish with leeks.
- Drizzle vegetables generously with canola oil, salt, and pepper.
- On a separate baking sheet, drizzle oil, salt, and pepper onto trout fillets.
- Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Using a brush or a paper towel, gently grease the grill plates. Place eggplant pieces and leeks (cut side down) onto the grill, working in batches if needed, and cook for about 5 minutes per side, until vegetables are slightly charred and have distinct grill marks. Transfer back to baking dish.
- Place fish onto grill, skin side down, and grill for about 2 minutes. Flip and finish fish on other side for about 1-2 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to plate.
- Coarsely chop leeks and eggplant and transfer to bowl. Give the sauce another whisk to bring it back together, then pour it over the vegetables. Gently toss to coat, taste, and adjust salt and lime juice if needed. Transfer vegetables to serving dish and top with fish. Sprinkle with cilantro and more lime juice if needed and serve immediately.
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