Dish #4: Andorra - Broiled Trout with Trinxat

So far I've cooked with rice, pasta, and pasta that resembles rice (orzo).  For Andorra, it's time for some potatoes.  I made Trinxat, which consists of potatoes, cabbage, and bacon formed into a panacke and pan-fried - sort of like a hybrid of colcannon, which is a traditional Irish dish, and a latke.  Andorra is a tiny nation in Catalonia, nestled along the border between Spain and France, and it's land-locked, but they do have fish - trout.  Apparently Andorrans love to barbecue or broil river (or lake) trout, simply seasoned with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper and garnished with a lot of parsley.  I've always looked at the beautiful whole rainbow trout at Whole Foods, and even though they're from the ocean and therefore not entirely authentic to the spirit of the meal, I figured this was a good time to try them.

Broiled Trout (recipe from Mother Earth News)

Ingredients
1 lb trout fillets (3-4 whole rainbow trout)
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder and onion powder to taste
3 T olive oil
1 lemon, cut ino thin wedges
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (1 T dried)

Directions
Preheat the broiler and grease the rack of a broiler pan.

Cut the fillets into serving pieces, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the fillets on the greased rack, skin side up. Brush with oil.

Broil the fish for 5 to 8 minutes, about three inches from the heat, until they're brown. Baste with more oil. Turn, and baste the other side. Garnish with lemon wedges, and broil until brown.

Trinxat (recipe from Global Table Adventure)

Ingredients
1 green cabbage, cored and quartered
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 strips bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Boil potatoes and cabbage in a large pot with salted water until tender. Drain thoroughly.  Roughly mash the cabbage and potatoes with minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crispy.  Remove bacon and let drain on a paper towel.  Reserve bacon grease in skillet.  Tear bacon into small chunks and stir into the cabbage and potato mixture. 

Heat skillet with reserved bacon grease on medium-high.  Press into the pan to make a flat cake. Cook until bottom is golden brown. Pass under broiler until top is hot and slightly golden.