Baked Trout with Lemon and Paprika

Also in today's Globe!

Serves 4

Finding time to cook a fancy meal for company sometimes seems as likely as a celebrity chef showing up to fill in. If you can find boned and butterflied whole trout, which cook in a very short time, they make a beautiful presentation. Fill the cavities with lemon, thyme, and garlic and bake the fish inside foil packets to keep the flesh moist during baking. Serve with steamed potatoes sprinkled with parsley and black pepper.

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 whole boned trout, butterflied
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine

1. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet. Set the oven at 350 degrees.

2. Cut 4 sheets of foil (each 16 inches long); line them up on the counter. Brush each piece of foil with olive oil. On the center of the foil, place 1 whole trout, skin side up; season with salt and pepper. Flip the fish over and season the flesh side with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika.

3. Divide garlic and lemon slices among the fish. Top with thyme, dividing evenly. Sprinkle white wine over each. Fold one fillet over the other, closing up the trout.

4. Fold the foil up and around each fish, and make a seal on top. Set the packets on the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until the fish is firm and opaque.

To My Readers:

You are a small but loyal crew. I must apologize for my absence. With 30 looming down on me, I've been busy making all the preparations to celebrate the fateful day -- and not by having a solitary pity party! In addition to the chaos of the celebrations of my birth and fortunate continued existence, I have been working like a dog, scrapping together recipes and photos for the Boston Globe (and 1 or 2 other publications that I will let you know about later). The really fantastic thing about the Globe is that they pay me. So, you will understand that is why I sometimes make my world revolve around the demands of said paying gig.

Fear not, though, my friends, unprocessed is still in full swing. A giant batch of hoagies sits on my counter next to an even larger bag of gaufrettes that Ben made at work. The remaining ingredients for an unprocessed birthday party sit in canvas sacks, ready to make their arrival into this world. We'll be sure to post a few new recipes that came about as a result of this soiree. And, if you happen to be in the area, stop by and give an early Happy Birthday salute to me and my dear friend, Suzan. We'll be commemorating the big 3-0 all night long!

Below is a post from today's Boston Globe Short Orders section. You may have seen me touting the merits of Blue Grass Soy Sauce before, but this is the "professional" version.

Microbrewed, small batch, and single barrel are not terms usually associated with the production of soy sauce. But Matt Jamie, president of Bourbon Barrel Foods, is doing just that. Made with non-GMO soybeans and spring water, Blue Grass Soy Sauce ($5.99 for 5 ounces) is one of Kentucky’s finest. The condiment is fermented and aged in bourbon barrels; each label states the batch and bottle number, handwritten by Jamie’s father. The subtle smokiness, derived from its time in oak, perks up a simple stir-fry or rounds out a sharp balsamic vinaigrette. From the land of whiskey and thoroughbreds comes an artisan elixir deserving of space on your shelf. Available at Don Otto’s (formerly Lionette’s), 577 Tremont St., Boston, 617-778-0360; City Feed and Supply, 672 Centre St., 617-524-1799, and 66A Boylston St., 617-524-1657, both in Jamaica Plain; or from www.bluegrasssoysauce.com.