Portuguese Trout and Prosciutto Napoleons with Caldo Verde

Last week I was on vacation and decided to make meals from around the world that I had never made before. Monkey Girl and I headed out the the library and checked out a dozen different cookbooks for inspiration. My father and my husband love to fish, but hate to eat fish (go figure!), so I made this recipe for my mother and I to enjoy!









Trout and Prosciutto Napoleons

4 - six ounce trout fillets, skin on (I always have a ton of these in the freezer from hubs' fishing expeditions)

salt and pepper

flour for dredging

4 T. unsalted butter

4 wafer thin slices prosciutto (Serrano ham would be traditional, but our grocery store didn't carry it)

Olive oil

8 - 1/2 inch thick lemon slices (plus more lemon for spritzing)

2/3 c. dry white wine

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 T. minced fresh flat parsley



Heat oven to warm, and place a wire rack on a baking sheet in the oven.



Pat the trout fillets dry, season with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour. Heat 3 T. butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the trout and sear until browned on each side (2-3 minutes per side). Transfer fillets to the rack in the oven to keep warm as you continue cooking.



Reduce heat under skillet to medium and add the prosciutto slices. Cook until firm (about 1 minute per side) then transfer to rack in oven.



Heat a thin film of oil in a small skillet over high heat until it shimmers and saute the lemon slices until charred on both sides, about 3 minutes total, transfer to a plate.



To the skillet that you cooked the fish in, add wine and boil until reduced a bit (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and swirl in the remaining 1 T. of butter and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.



With a sharp knife, cut the fillets into thirds. Trim the prosciutto into 3 pieces to match the fillets. Stack 3 pieces of fish, each topped with a piece of prosciutto, per plate. Drizzle with the sauce, spritz with lemon, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve with seared lemon slices.



Caldo Verde

4 T. olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c. chicken stock

1 bunch kale (about 1/2 lb), thick center stems removed

salt and pepper

24 - 1/4 inch thick slices chorizo (much more than the traditional recipe, but oh so good!!)



Heat 2 T. of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring often, until the start to spot with color, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.



Pour the chicken stock and 1 1/2 c. water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. cover and simmer until the potatoes are falling apart tender (20-25 minutes).



While the soup is cooking, stack several kale leaves, roll them length-wise into a tight cigar shape, and cut crosswise into whisker-thin slices. Repeat with the rest of the kale.



Puree the soup using a handheld blender, or liquefy in batches in a food processor. Return to the pot and

bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, stir in the kale, and simmer uncovered until just tender (5-10 minutes).



Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 T. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the chorizo and cook until crisp (3-5 minutes) Transfer to paper towels but save the oil.



To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, crown each with 6 slices chorizo, and drizzle with the chorizo oil.



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