AN easy way to cook trout
TROUT fishing season is open and the annual delicacy will undoubtedly end up on my table, MOTH (Man of the House) being an avid fisherman. While we generally enjoy it smoked, this way of cooking it is also simple and delicious. If using salmon, you might want to adjust the times a little more as the fillets are generally thicker than trout, which often cooks better on the stovetop. For me, trout is a ‘gentle’ fish that lends itself well to added flavour better than its much pinker cousin.
Trout with garlic and lemon butter sauce Served baked trout fillets with garlic butter sauce, lemon and parsley Ingredients 2 large fillets of trout or salmon, with skin left on the bottom 2 tablespoons olive oil, more or less 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (dried thyme, oregano, and parsley, combined together) ¼ teaspoon salt to taste 4 minced garlic cloves 3 tbs lemon juice freshly squeezed 2 tbs white wine 2 tbs butter softened Handful finely chopped parsley
Method Generously season the top of fish fillets with herb seasoning and salt. In a large pan, heat olive oil on medium heat until heated – but not smoking. Add fish fillets skin side up – and cook for about three to five minutes on medium heat, making sure the oil does not smoke, or until lightly browned. Flip the fillets, skin side down (add more oil, if needed). Cook for another two to four minutes on medium heat and again, don’t let the oil smoke. Remove the pan from heat, put on a lid and let the fish sit for five to 10 minutes, until flaky and cooked through completely. After the fish is cooked through, carefully remove it to the plate, separating the fish from the skin. Carefully remove or scrape the fish skin off the bottom of the pan, making sure to leave all the cooking oils in the pan. Add diced garlic, lemon juice, and white wine to the remainder in the pan. Cook on medium-low heat for about a minute, until garlic softens a bit. Remove from heat. Add one tablespoon of chopped parsley, and two tablespoons of butter, off heat, to the sauce, stirring, until the butter melts and forms a creamy mixture. Add fish to the pan, spoon sauce over the fish, top the fish and sauce with the remaining one tablespoon of parsley, and serve.
