We ate the best meal served in Reno last night.

I popped into Raley’s to get some Kind Bars on sale and use the bank machine. I always go by the fish counter to see if anything looks great and the swordfish didn’t look great, but good enough to light the EGG.

 

 

 

As the guy was wrapping the swordfish, I saw a couple of whole fish at the back of the case, unmarked. They were pretty big, big as the snapper I grilled whole. “What are the whole fish?” I asked. “Trout, $5.99 a pound. Farm raised, but with a really beautiful red flesh. They’re called Sierra Bow Red Trout. This one’s almost 1 3/4 pounds (1.73), cleaned.” I looked at the inside; beautiful.

 

Knowing the trout was safely resting in my fridge, while shopping at the Farmers Market I dreamed up a swell meal… some Romano beans to grill with the fish, carrots to braise and glaze in an orange juice and sugar and vinegar mixture. Carol said she read where avocados were really good grilled for five minutes — changes their taste and texture… got a couple of those. I got some lovely golden beets to roast and pickle, as well. Sounds like a plan.

We stopped at World Market on the way to water Brian and Natasza’s plants — they’re in Kyiv at the moment — and they had everything BBQ on sale. I got a round vegetable thingy and some Wine Barrel Staves to use for smoke. Hot damn. Just soak a stave in water for an hour and throw it on the hot coals.

I cooked it the same way I did the snapper: rinse, dry, stuff with salt and pepper and lemon slices, slash skin, oil it up and grill for six minutes a side.

I like my Romano beans — or any green beans — tender and cooked, so before grilling, I steamed them for 10 minutes.

The golden beets are dressed with ranch dressing. The grilled avocado is filled with a vinaigrette, Romano beans and glazed carrots. The wine is 2010 Champalou Vouvray. All in all, just yummy.

But wait… that’s not all ! ! ! (as they say on late night TV)

That trout produced a generous amount of leftover fish.

What better way to get started on it, than warming a piece in the countertop convection oven, dressing it with a bit of sauce from last evening (Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, pickle relish, and lemon juice) and serving it alongside Fallon melon and an O’Henry peach? No better way.

That’s all, then.