We’re going to assume you’ll catch some trout during ODFW Free Fishing Weekend June 6 & 7 so we’re giving you a few tasty trout recipes beyond just lemon pepper and a frying pan.
Trout Bruschetta With Chili Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the bruschetta:
- 12 1/4-inch-thick slices country-style bread, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 4 trout fillets, skin on
- 1/2 cup instant flour (such as Wondra)
- 1 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 16 oil-cured black olives, halved and pitted
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
For the chili vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 4 tablespoons hot chili oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Make the bruschetta: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the bread slices on baking sheets, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons salt over the foil. Lay the trout fillets skin-side down on the salt and sprinkle liberally with more salt. Set aside in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the chili vinaigrette: Toast the chili powder in a small skillet over low heat, 1 minute. Let cool. In a small bowl, whisk the chili powder, garlic and vinegar. Whisk in the chili oil, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste and the parsley.
- Rinse the trout fillets and pat dry. Season the trout with pepper. Fill a shallow dish with the instant flour. Dredge the fillets in the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. When hot, add the fish, skin-side down, and cook until crisp, about 1 minute. Turn with an offset spatula and cook on the other side until done, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
- To serve, cut the trout into bite-size pieces. Top each toast with a piece of roasted red pepper and a piece of trout. Spoon some of the vinaigrette over the trout. Sprinkle with the olives and parsley.
Bacon Wrapped Trout
Ingredients
- Two 8-ounce rainbow trout, butterflied and dressed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives and thyme
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Juice of half a lemon, plus 4 thin lemon slices
- 4 slices bacon
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Sprinkle the inside and outside of the trout with salt and pepper. Combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the herbs, capers, garlic, lemon juice and some salt and pepper in a small bowl and divide this mixture between the two trout. Fold the trout back onto themselves, lay 2 lemon slices on top of each fish, and then wrap each trout with 2 slices of bacon holding the lemons in place.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and coat lightly with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Place the trout, lemon-side up, in the pan and cook for 3 minutes, then place in the oven. Roast, flipping halfway through roasting to ensure the bacon is crisp, for 20 to 25 minutes.
Crispy Trout with Kitchen Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plus 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 teaspoons sherry or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 rainbow trout (about 3/4 pound each), butterflied and backbone removed
- Instant flour, such as Wondra, or cake flour, for dusting fish
- Canola oil, for coating pans
Directions
- For the sauce, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook them briefly until lightly browned. Add the cream, bring it to a boil and reduce quickly by half. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter gradually, pat by pat, whisking until incorporated. When the sauce is smooth and thick, discard the garlic and thyme and add the chives, sherry vinegar, tarragon and salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat two large cast-iron skillets over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and dust the skin sides with the flour. When the pans are hot, add enough canola oil to thinly coat the bottom of each and add a fish to each pan, skin-side down. Cook until the skins turn golden brown and opaque doneness creeps into the pink flesh of the fish. You want to cook the fish nearly all the way through on the skin side. Flip the fish and transfer them to a plate to keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining fish.
- Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of sauce onto each warm plate, top with a trout, skin side pointing up, and serve immediately.
