Truite au bleu

Truite au bleu is an unusual and nearly forgotten French dish in which a trout becomes blue-colored before being poached. The trout needs to be as fresh as possible – it is first stunned (usually by hitting it on the head), then gutted, and left to soak for a short while in vinegar – the process will turn the natural exterior mucus of the fish blue.

The fish is then poached in court-bouillon and served with boiled potatoes, parsley, lemon wedges, and melted butter. The origins of this dish are often disputed – the regions of Alsace, Dauphiné, and Jura all claim ownership regarding the method of preparation, James Beard traces the dish back to the French Alps and Switzerland, while Escoffier says that it was popular in Germany at the end of the 19th century.

Regardless of the origins, truite au bleu is a rarely-seen delicacy that must be tried at least once in a lifetime – after all, M. F.K. Fisher wrote that it was the best fish she had ever tasted.