Grilled Trout with Crispy Fish Skin

My fishmonger always has farmed freshwater rainbow trout on hand, butterflied and boneless with the spine and ribs removed. They take well to fast cooking on the grill, made easier with a grill basket. You can easily pull off the skin after grilling if it’s not your thing, but do leave it on while cooking because it protects the flesh — there’s a thin layer of subcutaneous fat that melts and keeps the filets juicy.

How to season trout

Be sure to pat the fish dry first before seasoning it simply with salt and a spice blend of your choosing. Lately, I’ve been using a lot of berbere, a slightly sweet, mildly spicy blend of fenugreek, cumin, and other spices. You’ll see the versatile Ethiopian spice mix in other Food & Wine recipes and can find it at spicewalla.com or kalyustans.com if not at your local well-stocked grocer.