Fried Trout Rolls with Bacon Grits & Trout Tartare

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Fried Trout Rolls with Bacon Grits & Trout Tartare
INGREDIENTS: 
(Serves 4) 1 cup stone ground grits 5 trout fillets Salt & pepper, to taste 2 tsp. dried thyme 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 tsp. olive oil 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped 4 slices bacon Crème fraîche 1/2 lemon
DIRECTIONS: 
Cook grits according to package instructions, and let cool in shallow dish in refrigerator. Prepare trout by removing and reserving skin from four fillets. Lay fillets lengthwise, and roll tightly from end to end. Wrap the skin around each roll so that it sticks to itself. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Dust each roll with cornstarch and set aside. Chop remaining raw trout fillet into quarter-inch cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and basil; set aside. In a pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, set aside to cool. Keep rendered fat in pan. After grits have cooled, make grit cakes by spooning four mounds (two heaping tablespoons each) into hot bacon fat over medium heat, and cook until the bottoms are browned and crisp. Turn over onto four plates. Lay a strip of bacon on each crisp grit cake and cover to keep warm. Cook the fish rolls in remaining bacon fat, adding olive oil if necessary. Turn the rolls after one minute to crisp on all sides. Place rolls over grits and sprinkle trout tartare over rolls. Top with a dollop of crème fraîche and fresh squeezed lemon.