Erica De Mane

Recipes:

New York State Trout Wrapped in Pancetta and Filled with Sage
Grilled Asparagus and Scallions with Capers
Green Salad with Sorrel
Pecorino with Wildflower Honey

New York State Trout Wrapped in Pancetta and Filled with Sage

You’ll want four whole trout, not more than a pound apiece, gutted but with their heads and tails left on. Season them inside and out with salt and black pepper and stuff the inside of each with a few large sprigs of fresh sage and a roughly chopped scallion. Drizzle the trout inside and out with olive oil, and drape four very thin slices of pancetta around each trout (just press them into the fish; the heat of the grill will almost immediately cause the pancetta to adhere to the skin). Grill over a medium heat about 4 inches from the coals, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. The skin should be browned and the pancetta crisp and stuck to the trout. Scatter a bit of chopped sage over each fish, and serve with lemon wedges. I’ve always like a very lightly chilled Beaujolais with trout, and that is what I would serve here.

Grilled Asparagus and Scallions with Capers

For four people, take about 20 medium spears of asparagus and trim their bottoms. Poke a few tiny holes in a large piece of aluminum foil, and lay the asparagus on top of it. Trim about 5 scallions and place them on top of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Close up the foil to make a little package, and grill over medium heat about 4 inches from the coals until the asparagus is tender and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Unwrap, and slide the asparagus onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with a generous amount of capers and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Green Salad with Sorrel

I always find sorrel at farmer’s markets in upstate New York in early summer. A straight sorrel salad is too sour for me, but if I mix a handful of the leaves, cut into thin strips, with mild, ruffly green-leaf or red-leaf lettuce, I get a good balance of mild and tangy. To that blend add a few thinly sliced radishes and a sliced shallot, if you have them. Dress the salad with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper (I find I don’t want lemon or vinegar with sorrel).

Pecorino with Wildflower Honey

Choose a young Pecorino cheese such as a Fior di Sardegna or a Cacio di Roma. Cut it into thick slices, and arrange it on a plate. Drizzle with acacia or mixed-wildflower honey. Garnish with a few chopped lavender sprigs.