Trout. I love trout. For me, it is the “alternative” fish. Growing up in Oregon salmon country, I had my fill of that orange fish. I lived on a major river and we could walk down to the bank, wave, and someone fishing in mid-river would motor over, cash and fish would be traded, and very fresh salmon would be enjoyed.
So much salmon that I began to turn to alternatives. I have always had a love affair with the contrasting wonders of trout. The flavor is unmistakable. The texture is lovely. I’ve enjoyed them by the hundreds. And, there is the beginning of my rub. If I look at a trout now, I know exactly how it tastes. There is no need to sample the fish at all. I can save calories!
But what if I’m still hungry, and I want trout, but not “trout.” What to do? From The Complete Mexican, here is a very different take on trout. Spiced trout are cooked in garlic, white wine, fish stock, parsley, and honey. [My sweet tooth must always be satisfied].
The recipe calls for fish stock and for those of us with a bit of sensitivity to shell fish, the grocery stores now stock fish stock that is absolutely free of anything that might cause distress.
The flavor of this dish was just what I wanted. That trouty tang was still there, but now subdued and balanced by the wine, stock and spices. It’s a lovely dish, easy to prepare, and sure to widen your trout palette.
Trout in Wine Sauce
Yield: Serves 2-4 depending on your trout dependency
Ingredients:
- 4 trout fillets [heads off and deboned]
- Spice seasoning for dusting [cayenne, paprika, …]
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅔ cup white wine
- ⅔ cup fish stock
- 2 teaspoons clear honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Season the trout fillets by coating them in the spice seasoning. This seasoning simply needs to be “red” and “warm” to “hot.”Visit your spice drawer and look for those hidden jars in the back. Place the fish in a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in a cool place for at least 1 hour.
Mel the butter in a large frying pan and heat gently for 1 minute. Add the fish fillets. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until cooked through, turning carefully once. Transfer to a plate and keep hot.
Add the garlic, white wine, fish stock, and honey to the pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Lower the heat and simmer to reduce slightly. Return the fish to the pan and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to plates, spoon on sauce, and enjoy.
Source: The Complete Mexican by Jane Milton, Jenni Fleetwood and Marina Filippelli