Paul Virant created this dish on the fly while he was visiting his brother Tom in Washington, DC, one Memorial Day. "I wanted to do the entire dish on the grill, so I didn't have to go inside," he says. The lemony vinaigrette is delicious on both the crispy trout and the smoky charred lettuce, so he liberally dresses both, before and after grilling. More Grilled Seafood Recipes
How to Make It
Light a grill. In a bowl, whisk the minced garlic with the lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the cut side of each romaine half with 1 tablespoon of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until lightly charred, about 1 minute per side. Cut each piece of romaine in half lengthwise and transfer to a platter.
Brush the trout fillets on both sides with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Grill the trout over high heat, skin side down, until the skin is lightly charred and crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn the trout over and cook for 1 minute longer. Place a trout fillet over each romaine quarter, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.