Trout Piccata (Gluten Free)
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
The etymology of piccata is somewhat mysterious, and the actual definition is equally shadowed but for culinary purposes, it refers to cutlets (veal, chicken, turkey, etc.), dredged in flour, pan fried, and finished with a sauce of capers, lemon, and usually wine. It's quite similar to what the French call meunière, only that preparation depends on brown butter , a flavor that I'm not fond of with fish, not to mention the fact that it's really easy to burn butter on the way to browning it. Typically, the fish would be dredged in AP flour, this version is dredged only in almond flour so it's gluten free, not to mention tasty. But, you do have to wipe out the pan after the fish cooks because the almond flour easily burns in the pan creating nasty little, bitter bits. Photo by Lynne Calamia
Read More
Read Less
Software
- 2- 4-ounce skin-on trout filets, or 1- 8-ounce filet
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 4 tablespoons high quality butter (we like Kerrygold), divided
- 1 tablespoon brined capers, drained but not rinsed
- 1/2 cup white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
Specialized Hardware
12-inch saute pan (I prefer a black steel pan)
fish turner or other thin spatula to flip fish (I'm a fan of those made by Peltex)
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Procedure
- Dry the filets by blotting with paper towels, then season the flesh side with salt and pepper.
- Place the almond flour in a pie plate and dredge filets on both sides, shaking off any excess. Place on a wire cooling rack and rest for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, dredge the fish again and return to the rack.
- Park a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and swirl the pan to evenly coat.
- Hold the end of the filet(s) with skin facing you and carefully lay it flesh-first into the butter, making sure to lay it away from you so that the filet blocks any splattering butter. Give the pan a few jiggles to ensure the fish doesn't stick. Cook for 2 minutes, gently shaking the pan every now and then, until a golden crust forms.
- Carefully flip the filets away from you with a fish turner or any flexible slotted spatula, and give the pan another jiggle. Continue to cook until the skin is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes more. Remove to a plate.
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully wipe out and discard any blackened bits of almond flour left behind. Return the pan to the burner and add another tablespoon of the butter along with the capers. Shake the pan constantly until the capers begin to brown, 1 minute.
- Carefully add the wine. (If the pan is really hot and you're cooking on gas, this is a potential flambe moment!) Follow with the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Return the heat to medium-high and simmer 2 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Add the final tablespoon of butter and whisk until emulsified into the sauce. Kill the heat and immediately spoon over the fish.
- Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.
RELATED RECIPES
