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1
Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat for 1 minute.
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2
Add the butter, and when it foams, stir in the red onion.
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3
Add the thyme, a healthy pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
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4
Saute about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft.
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5
Add the sorrel to the pan, and stir to combine.
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6
Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the cream, and cook, stirring continuously, about 3 minutes, as the cream reduces and coats the onions.
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7
Taste for seasoning, and transfer to a plate to cool completely.
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8
Lay the trout, skin side down, on a cutting board, open like a book.
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9
Season lightly with salt and pepper, and spread the sorrel onions on one side of each fish.
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10
Fold the fish back together, and wrap each trout with a piece of pancetta, spiraling the meat around the fish like the stripe on a candy cane.
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11
Refrigerate the fish until 15 minutes before cooking.
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12
Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking.
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13
Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, pound the grapes until theyre partially crushed.
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14
Transfer to a bowl, and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the parsley, a healthy pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
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15
When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, brush the trout with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
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16
Grill the trout 3 to 4 minutes on each side, rotating the fish a quarter-turn after a couple of minutes, to get the skin crispy.
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17
Scatter the watercress on a large platter, and place the trout on top.
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18
Spoon the warm verjus sauce over the fish, and top with the crushed grapes.
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19
Serve the fennel gratin at the table.
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20
Place the grapes, shallot, and verjus in a small saucepan over medium heat.
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21
Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by three-quarters.
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22
Let the mixture cool until lukewarm.
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23
Transfer to a blender, and, with the motor running, add the cold butter a little at a time, blending until the butter is just incorporated.
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24
Taste for seasoning, and add a little lemon juice, a pinch of pepper, and more salt if you like.
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25
Return the sauce to the pan, cover, and keep in a warm place.
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26
Reheat just before serving.
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27
Preheat the oven to 425F.
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28
Toast the fennel seeds in a small saucepan over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, until they release their aroma and are a light gold color.
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29
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the seeds coarsely.
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30
Trim the root end of the fennel, cut the stalks off where they meet the bulb, and peel off any outer layers that are brown or bruised.
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31
Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, leaving the core intact.
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32
Place the halves, cut side down, on a cutting board, and slice the fennel thinly lengthwise.
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33
You should have about 6 cups of sliced fennel.
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34
Toss the fennel in a large bowl with the onion, thyme, bay leaves, fennel fronds, fennel seeds, and 1/3 cup olive oil.
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35
Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of pepper.
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36
Slice the potatoes on a mandoline into 1/16-inch-thick slices.
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37
Toss the potatoes in a medium bowl with the cream and 1 teaspoon salt.
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38
Add the potatoes and parsley to the fennel, scraping all the cream into the bowl.
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39
Toss well to combine, and taste for seasoning.
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40
Arrange one layer of potato slices in the pan, overlapping them slightly, on the bottom of a gratin dish.
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41
(For this recipe, I like to use a copper or black iron dish, so the potatoes get extra crisp.)
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42
Toss the remaining fennel-potato mixture again, and arrange it over the layer of potatoes.
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43
Pour all the remaining creamy juices over the top.
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44
Bake about 45 minutes, until the potato is cooked and the fennel is golden and slightly crispy on top.
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45
You can stuff and wrap the fish the morning before you plan to grill it.
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46
Both the fennel gratin and the verjus sauce can also be prepared ahead of time and reheated before serving.
