One lonely Brook Trout, what to do

[nbermas]

had it deboned because I am scarred of bones but I still feel some, so how do I cook this lonely fish and whatabout the bones? Thanks Cooking it TONIGHT!

[PaulaT]

I would have said Breakfast! under most circumstances, but for tonight all the other recs are great.

[Veggo]

Brookies are such little, delectible babies... I pan fry them on low heat with lots of butter. The whole skeleton is easily extracted as a single piece. From the spine, use the tines of a fork to gently lift the fillets from the skeleton in single pieces. And brookies don't have scales and the skin is perfectly edible.

[alanbarnes]

Having it deboned is actually counterproductive, because as noted by DockPotato the fileting process leaves the pin bones behind. Next time, cook it first--the flesh will come right off the frame.

My favorite way to eat brookies is to season them with salt and pepper, dredge in cornmeal, and pan-fry in bacon fat (preferably in a cast-iron skillet over a campfire).

[cimui]

Sorry I missed this thread earlier. This is my favorite breakfast fish, actually. I brush very lightly with olive oil; stuff with a little bit of sage or basil, or dust with a little bit of cumin; salt; and broil until the skin is slightly crisp. The bones should lift right out. Serve with a squirt of lime or side of salsa.

[DockPotato]

If your fish was deboned, filleted, it sounds as if the "pin" bones were left in. That's a row of fine bones above the mid line extending from the fron of the fish to the anal vent. Am I right?

If that's the case and the bones are a concern, take a round bottomed bowl, invert it, and place a fillet skin side down over the bowl. This will arch the piece and the pin bones will tend to protrude so that you can easily remove them with tweezers or a pair of needle nosed pliers.

How big and how old is your fish? Mine are usually about 9 to 12 inches. I like fresh brook trout as they are - a dash of salt and pepper, a sprinkle of parsley perhaps, flour them and then sautee in butter till the flesh is opaque.

[nbermas]

thanks, just made it very good and the bones are out as best as I could. Looking at it with a keen eye right now. Thanks again

[torty]

Salt and pepper inside and out. Tuck some lemon slices and fresh herbs (plus a pat or 2 of butter if you like) in the cavity and just bake. The skin will peel/slide right off, and the fillets should lift easily off of the bones. As you eat just flake the meat apart a bit. Trout is very "soft" so the bones should be quite detectable if there are any. Just don't make this a "dinner by candle light" evening....