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Course: Mains
Keyword: trout

Trout Piccata

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 it's really easy to burn butter on the way to browning it. The twist here is the addition of almond flour which means we're also flirting with trout almandine here. If you'd like a completely gluten free version of this dish that depends solely on almond flour in the dredge, you can find it here: Trout Piccata (Gluten Free)
Photo by Lynne Calamia
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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
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons high quality unsalted butter (we like Kerrygold), divided
  • 2 tablespoons 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)
small mesh sieve
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.
  • Combine the all-purpose and almond flours in a pie plate and dredge the fish 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 the skin side 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.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the capers to the pan, shaking constantly for 1 minute or until they start to brown.
  • 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.
  • Finish the sauce by whisking in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Once it's completely incorporated, kill the heat and immediately spoon sauce over fish.
  • Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.
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