Մ ա ր ի ն ա ց վ ա ծ ի շ խ ա ն
Falling somewhere between gravlax and escabeche, this cured trout preparation, in which fish is “cooked” in salt and vinegar, makes for an impressive addition to a table filled with the usual—lavash, pickles, cucumbers and tomatoes, and an herb and cheese plate. The salty, tangy trout is a perfect appetizer for a party, and it can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. Rip off a small piece of lavash, place a couple of pieces of trout on top, roll it up, and you have the Armenian answer to a hand roll.
A note of caution on trout: We were introduced to this idea at Cherkezi Dzor, a restaurant and fish hatchery in Gyumri, where the fish was caught and cured in one place, allowing the quality of the fish to be controlled. To be on the safe side, choose sustainably farmed trout for this recipe and save any wild specimens you catch for the grill or stove—wild freshwater fish can carry parasites if eaten raw.
Serves 6 as an appetizer
11/2 lb [680 g] butterflied (nearly boneless) trout (3 to 4 fish)
1/4 cup [40 g] kosher salt
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp water
1 cup [150 g] thinly sliced yellow onion
3/4 cup [100 g] thinly sliced carrots
10 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp chopped dill
11/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
To skin each trout, open the belly up and cut the spine out to make two separate fillets. With the fish skin-side down, hold the tail end of the fish with one hand while holding the knife in the other. Aim the blade of the knife down toward the skin at a slight angle facing away from the tail to make the first incision and then run the blade parallel along the skin to separate the skin from the flesh. Discard the skin and cut the trout into 1 in [2.5 cm] pieces.
In a medium glass mixing bowl, mix together the trout and salt until the salt coats the trout pieces evenly. Mix in the remaining ingredients, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, the trout is ready to eat. Alternatively, it will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
