Father's Day Grilled Rainbow Trout...

Military training in Alaska in the 1980's as a Green Beret.
My dad is the studly one on the right.

Father's Day is a little bittersweet for me.  I lost my dad a few years ago, and since then this day has been a bit hard.  There are so many memories that flood my mind throughout the day, things from my childhood, traveling the world, my wedding, my dad in a wheelchair looking at my children for the first time - little babies tucked in his arm.

My mom, dad, and me in 1979.  I am adorable, don't you think?!?

Like everyone, there are good and not-so-good memories.  I have a few favorites.  When I was about six I remember making play dough pig noses on the back deck with my dad me dressed in pajamas on a hot summer night, all of us giggling together.  Another memory is the first night we moved to Taiwan, I was 10 years old and couldn't sleep because of the time change.  My dad stayed up with me, eating ice cream and telling me all about Taiwan and the great adventure he hoped we would have over the next few years.  When I was eleven, we went to Hong Kong.  My brother and I had our own hotel room and we raided the mini fridge... $300 later, my dad found us jumping on the hotel beds, covered in twenty-dollar Toblerone bars.  He about came unglued.  I think his eyes melted when he saw the monetary value of what we had eaten.  Another moment is the pride in my dad's eyes on the day I graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in nursing.

We had many adventures, lots of laughs, lots of hard times, disagreements, and all of the normal struggles and emotions.  Now I also see that there are many fathers in my life, men who have stepped in and manage to fill little gaps.  To them I am grateful.  They have also helped fill the gaps in my husband's and children's lives.

To celebrate Father's Day, my kids and I took my husband fishing early this morning.  The kids were up at 5:30, eating breakfast, excited to fish and spend the day with their dad.  East Canyon Reservoir was our destination.  We got there early, fished all day, and caught absolutely nothing!  We tried everything!!!  Two women from the Ukraine were fishing next to us and they caught fish, after fish, after FISH using the same bait and set-up we were using.  These women were also kind enough to give our family two of their largest fish, both beautiful rainbow trout.  We cooked them up with some herbs and butter and served them with grilled pineapple, fresh farm picked asparagus, and salad all grown on the farm.  Thank you Ukrainian friends, you taught my children a great lesson about kindness and gave us a delicious dinner.

HERBED GRILLED FISH

backyard farmgals

2 good sized fresh rainbow trout, cleaned

Handful of fresh chives

2 garlic scapes

2 sprigs fresh oregano

2 tbsp butter

Slices of lemon

olive oil

salt and pepper

On a large piece of tinfoil (large enough to fold over the fish and make a packet), place the two fish.  Open the cavity of the fish and fill each with half of the chives, oregano, a garlic scape, 1 tbsp of butter, and slices of fresh lemon.  Drizzle fish with olive oil.  

Wrap the fish in tinfoil and place on a grill over medium low heat.  Cooking time will vary based on size of fish, but it should be fairly quick.  About 15-20 minutes.  Open tinfoil and check fish with a fork to see if it flakes.  When it is pale pink and flaky, it is ready.  Remove from grill and eat!  

Happy Father's Day!