SAUTEED TROUT WITH SAGE AND WHITE WINE (for two)

two whole, 10 to 12 ounce trout, cleaned and boned, leaving the heads and tails intact

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 tablespoons cold butter

salt

freshly ground black pepper

about 36 sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried sage

1/3 cup dry white wine

1. Rinse the fish and dry the surface and cavity of each thoroughly with paper towels. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil with 1 tablespoon butter over moderately high heat. Sprinkle the trout with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Put the trout in the pan and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.  Turn and cook until golden on the second side, 5 minutes longer.  Remove and wipe out the pan.

2. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until crisp, about 1 minute.  Alternatively add the dried sage and cook stirring, for 1 minute.  Pour the oil and sage over the fish and wipe out the pan.

3. Add the wine to the pan. Boil until reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.  Whisk in any accumulated juices and oil from the trout.  Pour the sauce around the fish and serve.

NOTE:  For a creamy emulsified butter don’t just put the butter into the pan and let it melt; instead, stick a whisk in the cold butter and stir it around the bottom of the pan on the lowest possible heat.  This way, the butter just softens into a sauce instead of melting into a puddle.

adapted from Food and Wine Magazine