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Food & Wine Recipe

Bacon-Wrapped Trout with Lemon Relish

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • •FAST
  • •STAFF-FAVORITE

  1. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  2. 1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
  3. 1 large lemon—peeled, pith removed, seeded and finely chopped
  4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
  5. 12 strips of thick-cut smokehouse bacon
  6. Four 6-ounce trout or fresh herring fillets, skinned
  1. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the sliced garlic and cook over low heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the chopped lemon and cook over moderate heat until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Scrape the lemon relish into a small glass or stainless steel bowl and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Wrap 3 slices of bacon around each trout or herring fillet. Secure the bacon with toothpicks.
  3. Heat a large skillet over moderately high heat. Add the bacon-wrapped trout fillets and cook until the bacon is browned and crisped and the fish is just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates, spoon the lemon relish on top and serve.
Make Ahead The lemon relish can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.

Suggested Pairing

A light, lemony Riesling won't overwhelm the delicate flavors of the trout and will provide a crisp yet fruity contrast to the smoky bacon. Look for a German Riesling Kabinett from the Mosel or a bright Riesling from New Zealand.