Chef Ben Lacy's Mt. Lassen Trout

Ingredients

Basil Pesto

2 bunch basil // 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted // 2 tbsp parmesan cheese grated // 1/4 cup olive oil // 1 tsp lemon juice // 2 cloves of garlic // 1/2 tsp salt

Toasted Farro

3 cup farro // 1 large carrot // 1 large white onion // 3 stalks of cellary // 1/2 cup olive oil // 2 tbsp salt // 1 tsp black pepper // 1 tbsp red wine vinegar // 6 cup water (or vegetable/chicken stock)

Mt. Lassen Trout - Plated

6 corn on the cob // 1 cup sun dried tomatoes julienned // 1 red onion julienned // 1 tbsp butter // 6 trout filets skin on deboned // 2 tbsp ghee or canola oil // 1 serving basil pesto // 1 serving toasted farro

Instructions 

Basil Pesto

1. Add all ingredients to blender except olive oil and blend

2. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until it is all incorporated

3. Let blend for another 2-3 minutes and then remove and store

Toasted Farro

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; finely dice onion, carrot and celery

2. Toast farro on sheet tray in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes

3. Add olive oil to medium pot and heat, add onion, carrot, celery and cook for 5-8 minutes until tender

4. Add farro to pot and toast in oil for another 5 minutes

5. Add water and mirepoix base and stir, bring to boil and lower to simmer.  simmer until all the water is gone

6. Fold in vinegar, salt and pepper

Mt. Lassen Trout

1. Soak the corn in salted water for 2 hours and then grill with the husks on until the husks all turn black

2. Remove the corn husks and cut the corn off the cob

3. Steep the sun dried tomatoes in hot tea water for about 15 minutes

4. Saute the red onion julienne (thinly sliced) in a medium saute pan until soft but not mushy.  Set aside

5. In a large pan or pot add the farro, corn, sun dried tomatoes and butter and heat over medium until warm.  If necessary add a little water or stock to moisten it

6. In a large non-stick or cast iron skillet add the ghee or canola oil and heat until the pan is just about smoking

7. Add the trout skin side down to the pan and gently press on the flesh for about 1 minute, reduce heat of the pan to low and cook for 6 minutes.  Flip to the flesh side for 1 minute then remove from pan.  If you need to do this in multiple steps, add new ghee or oil between rounds

8. Plating: add the pesto to the plate and spread out in a wide circle.  Then add the farro mixture in the center and top with trout skin side up.  Finally top the trout with the grilled red onions.  Enjoy!