Trout au Bleu in Grüner Veltliner Stock

Trout au bleu is a delicate Central European preparation in which very fresh trout is gently poached in an aromatic vinegar stock. Grüner Veltliner and white wine vinegar give this version bright acidity, while juniper, mustard seed, cloves, and peppercorns add quiet spice.

The finished cooking liquid is reduced and enriched with cold butter to make a simple, glossy sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 red onions
• 4 1/4 cups (1 liter) water
• 1 cup (250 ml) Grüner Veltliner or another fruity dry white wine
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• A few whole cloves
• A few juniper berries
• Fillets from 4 brook trout
• Cold unsalted butter, for finishing

How to make trout au bleu

1. Build the Veltliner stock

Peel the red onions and cut them into thin slices. Combine the water, wine, vinegar, sugar, salt, onions, bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seed, cloves, and juniper in a wide pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

2. Poach the trout

Remove any remaining pin bones. Place the trout fillets in the stock skin-side up, arranging them in a single layer. Cover and poach just below a simmer until the fish is opaque and reaches 145°F in the thickest part, generally about 5 minutes depending on thickness.

3. Make the butter sauce

Carefully remove the trout. Measure about 1 cup of the poaching stock into a saucepan and boil rapidly until slightly reduced. Lower the heat and whisk in pieces of cold butter until the sauce becomes lightly glossy. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve

Arrange the trout over the poached red-onion slices and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve with boiled potatoes or parsley potatoes.

What does “au bleu” mean?

The classic technique is traditionally associated with extremely fresh, skin-on trout. Contact with the acidic poaching liquid creates the distinctive bluish appearance that gives the dish its name.

Choose a bright wine vinegar

A clean wine vinegar keeps the poaching liquid lively without masking the trout. Gölles White Balsamic Wine Vinegar offers a gently rounded option for this recipe.