Trout Amandine Pan-Fried or Grilled Recipes
The Angler’s Reward: The Morning Catch Sizzling in the Frypan
Jul 26, 2009
Most fish wants to be cooked quickly and simply. Sadly, there are not many wild trout still around in the US. Trout has a subtle flavor, hatchery trout even more so. It needs some added flavor, but trout’s flavor is easy to overpower.
The classic Trout Almondine is pan-fried in butter topped with almonds that have also been browned in butter, usually with some lemon juice and parsley. Some menus, especially in Europe, spell the dish “Trout Amandine.” En Francais: “Truites aux Amandes.”
These recipes work for any fresh-water trout, like brook trout or rainbow trout. Steelhead trout, which migrate to the ocean, are larger and should be cooked more like salmon.
Both recipes specify whole trout, typically about 8 ounces (225 g), an excellent single-serving size. Optionally, the head can be cut off and saved for making fish stock. If fillets are preferred, follow the recipe, but the cooking time will be shorter.
Both recipes are sized for two servings, primarily because two trout fit a good-sized pan nicely. You will need two pans to serve four. The grilled version’s individual foil packages can easily be multiplied for additional servings.
Pan-Fried Trout Am\ndine
Ingredients for 2 servings
- 2+2 Tbsp butter (or half each butter and vegetable oil)
- ¼ cup slivered or sliced almonds
- ¼ cup flour seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 whole rainbow trout, cleaned
- 1 lemon, halved, one half thinly sliced, the other half juiced
- 3 Tbsp dry white wine
- Flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Method:
- Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium flame. Add the almonds and cook until they are lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the almonds to a small plate and set aside.
- Dry the trout with paper towels. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter in the same skillet. Salt and pepper the cavity, then dredge the fish in the seasoned flour mixture. Shake the excess flour off the fish and carefully lay them in the hot butter.
- Fry the fish until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to warmed serving plates.
- Add almonds, lemon juice and white wine to the same pan let it simmer until it thickens slightly.
- To serve, pour the almond-lemon sauce over the fish and top with chopped parsley. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve immediately.
Spicy Grilled Trout Amandine
This method may also be used for oven grilling the fish.
Ingredients for 2 servings
- 2 whole rainbow trout, cleaned
- ¼ cup flour Seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and cayenne or Cajun spice
- 2+2 Tbsp butter
- 1 lemon, halved, one half thinly sliced, the other half juiced
- Flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Method:
- Heat the grill to hot.
- For each serving, butter the center of one side of a square of foil large enough for the trout.
- Dry the fish thoroughly. Salt and pepper the cavity, then dredge the fish in the seasoned flour mixture. Shake the excess flour off the fish and lay it on one half of the foil.
- Insert a few lemon slices in the cavities of each fish. Pour lemon juice over and loosely fold up the foil to seal the packages.
- Cook until done, about 6 minutes per side. To test, open the package with the largest fish. When done, the dorsal fin will pull away easily and the meat will be white all the way through.
- Serve in the foil packages or transfer to serving plates.
Variations:
- Fishermen’s breakfast: Enjoy pan-frying the morning catch for breakfast with bacon. Fry the bacon first, then fry the trout in the bacon fat.
- In Normandy: hazelnuts might be used instead of almonds.
- Mediterranean style: use high quality olive oil instead of butter.
- Love it lemony? Zest the lemon before cutting and garnish the serving with lemon zest.
- Crunchier crust: add some cornmeal to the seasoned flour and, before dredging the fish in it, dip them into a shallow dish of milk.
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