{"id":49096,"date":"2022-09-13T15:36:51","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T19:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=49096"},"modified":"2025-03-11T16:00:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T20:00:47","slug":"trout-with-tomato-onion-salsa-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/people\/trout-with-tomato-onion-salsa-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"A Superior Fish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Lorelei <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Lorelei Johnson stands on the bow of Sasha in the \u201craised bathtub\u201d of Lock 36 on the Trent-Severn Waterway in Kirkfield, Ontario, Canada.<\/span>\n Courtesy Lorelei Johnson<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

EDITED BY LYNDA MORRIS CHILDRESS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d just hit the jackpot. We were docked in Tobin Harbor on Lake Superior\u2019s Isle Royale aboard Sasha<\/em>, our Island Packet 40, when the bounty appeared. It came along with a park ranger, who\u2019d just happened by to check on things. As we chatted amiably, he blurted, \u201cWould you like some fresh fish?\u201d He\u2019d caught far more than he could eat that day. \u201cCall me Rick,\u201d he said with a grin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My husband, Radd, is a sailor, not a fisherman; he was thrilled to have any<\/em> fish out of the lake. Of course, we gratefully accepted\u2014and counted our blessings for having discovered this wonderful place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our journey had been a long one. Florida<\/a> is our home port, and we\u2019d spent our cruising lives on various boats exploring the Bahamas and the US East Coast as far north as Washington, D.C. Then, inspired by an upcoming family wedding in Minnesota, we decided to cruise north, with an extended Great Loop adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We started that March, heading up the Intracoastal Waterway<\/a> and seeing New York City from a mooring ball on the Hudson River. We unstepped the mast in Catskill, New York, and then journeyed through the Erie Canal, where locals told us that we had the biggest sailboat they had seen all season. We branched off at the Oswego Canal, then crossed Lake Ontario and entered the Trent-Severn Waterway in Canada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once we got to Midland, Ontario, we were a sailboat again, cruising on to Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron. While most Loopers turn south at this point, we kept going straight into Lake Superior via the Soo Locks, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Since we still had time before the wedding, we headed to Isle Royale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forty-five miles long and 9 miles wide, Isle Royale is more popular with hikers than boaters, so it\u2019s never crowded on the water. It\u2019s a US national park, albeit one of the least-visited \u00adbecause of its short season and remote location. It can be cold even in July, and there\u2019s fog. This is remote cruising at its best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scenery is unrivaled. Fjords offer protection and shelter, and there are numerous no-service docks. Wildlife includes moose and wolves, as well as plenty of fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fish we received that day were lake trout, four of them. This fish could not have been any fresher. Of course, we invited Ranger Rick to join us for dinner, along with Ted, our dock neighbor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d need a meal fit for company. I decided on a quick tomato-\u00adonion salsa to accompany the fish, assembled it, and then set it aside to let the flavors blend. As I prepared to saute the fish, I had a moment of panic: I was out of cooking oil. I mean, totally out\u2014no canola oil, no olive oil, not even butter. I was up fish creek without a paddle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, I thought of mayonnaise. It was oil-based, and I was out of options. I tossed a couple of tablespoons of it in the hot pan and\u2014voil\u00e0<\/em>!\u2014it melted. It resembled oil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I threw on the fish. While they sizzled, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a memorable dinner, lively with good conversation and good company. Rick\u2019s story was fascinating: We learned about his work with water management on the island (there is a lodge, a restaurant and regular ferry service) and his seasonal life in an island cabin. He spends every summer on the island; his wife joins him on weekends via ferry. Fish, he told us, is a staple of his diet, and he was most pleased with having it prepared in a different way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cmayo fish\u201d earned two thumbs up from all, as well as a toast to creative cooking. The fish was white, firm, mild and divine. The salsa was a classic hit too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good as it was, the fish wasn\u2019t the only thing that got caught that day. Lake Superior had worked its magic. We were \u00adcaptured\u2014hook, line and sinker. It\u2019s our new base for the near future. \u2014Lorelei Johnson<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trout with Tomato-Onion Salsa (serves 4<\/em><\/strong>)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Trout\" <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n Trout with Tomato-Onion Salsa<\/span>\n Lynda Morris Childress<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t <\/figcaption>\n <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n

For the trout:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n