The spice trade
Fennel-Crusted Trout with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette
At restaurants from Vij’s Restaurant and Rangoli in Vancouver, B.C., to Crossing the Bar in San Francisco and Tantra in Los Angeles, chefs are creating a new hybrid of Indian-French cuisine. This style plays with contrasts of sweet and sour, hot and cool, and adds Indian spice to classic French flavors.
In this menu, a raita-inspired chopped vegetable salad plays cumin’s warmth off of cool mint and cucumber, making it a great partner for grilled lamb, chicken, or even all-American burgers. Sautéed trout with fennel and lemon-ginger vinaigrette highlights bright flavors in a dish that’s simple enough for weeknight dinners and elegant enough for entertaining. And creamy basmati rice pudding folds mascarpone into aromatic cardamom rice, a delicious shortcut that loses nothing in translation.