From Arnaud’s Restaurant New Orleans

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups Meuniere Sauce, for serving
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 6 skinless trout fillets, 6 to 7 ounces each, preferably speckled trout
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup butter milk
• 2 lemons, ends trimmed and cut into wedges, for serving
• Sprigs of fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. In an electric deep fryer or a large and deep, heavy saucepan or stockpot no more than half filled with oil, heat the frying oil to 350 degrees.
2. Place the flour in a large, shallow bowl near the stove and season it generously with salt and pepper.
3. In another large, shallow bowl combine the milk and buttermilk.
4. Place a baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels in a low oven, and warm six dinner plates and a serving platter.
5. Dredge two of the trout fillets in the seasoned flour, and then dip the buttermilk mixture, coating both sides evenly.
6. Dredge again in the seasoned flour and gently shake off the excess.
7. Gently lower the two fillets to the hot platter and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.
8. Serve with the Meuniere Sauce passed in a sauce-boat, on the side.

Meuniere Sauce (The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week)

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons Medium-Dark Roux
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
• ½ stalk celery, finely chopped
• Half a white onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped seeded and de-ribbed green bell pepper
• ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 clove
• 1-1/2 cups Veal Stock
• Juice of ½ of a lemon
• Kosher or Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over high heat.
2. Add the celery, onion, green pepper, parsley, black pepper, bouquet garni and the clove.
3. Sauté until nicely browned, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the veal stock and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
5. Boil for 2 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer the mixture gently for 10 minutes.
6. Add a tablespoon of Roux and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened.
7. Keep adding Roux one tablespoon at a time until the sauce coats a spoon.
8. Season to taste with salt and a little more black pepper, and strain into a clean saucepan (or directly into a sauceboat, if serving right away), pressing down on the solids and scraping the bottom of the sieve to retrieve as much sauce as possible.