Braised Trout
Submitted by djm1172
Whole trout braised in white wine and fish stock with shallots and thyme, finished with a silky cream and herb butter sauce. An elegant weeknight fish dinner in just 40 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis is the kind of fish dish that looks like you spent hours fussing but actually takes less than 40 minutes from start to plate.
Whole boned trout simmers gently in a bath of white wine, fish stock, shallots, and fresh thyme until the flesh turns flaky and delicate.
Then the braising liquid gets reduced into a glossy cream sauce, enriched with herb butter and a bright squeeze of lemon that lifts the whole thing.
A scatter of chopped tomato and chervil on top makes it look like something from a Parisian brasserie. Your guests don’t need to know how easy it was.
Pro Tips
- Ask your fishmonger to bone the trout for you but leave it whole. This keeps the fish intact during braising and makes for a stunning presentation.
- Five minutes in the oven is all these trout need. Overcooking is the fastest way to ruin a good fish, so set a timer and flip at the halfway mark.
- Reduce the braising liquid until the pan is nearly dry before adding the cream. This concentrates all that wine-and-fish flavor into a sauce with real backbone.
- Swirl the herb butter in off the heat. Adding it to a screaming-hot pan will break the sauce and leave you with a greasy mess instead of a silky finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
In a large deep skillet over medium heat melt butter.
Add shallots and thyme and cook without coloring for 4 to 5 minutes or until the onions are tender.
Add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Add the whole trout and cover with foil.
Place in oven for 5 minutes turning the trout after 2½ minutes.
Remove the trout from the pan, peel back the skin from the top fillet and place on plate, keep warm.
Return cooking liquid to pan over high heat.
Reduce until the pan is almost dry and then add the cream and reduce until thick.
Swirl in the green butter off the direct flame, add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Strain through a fine mess str ainer and ladle over trout.
Garnish with chopped tomato and chevil sprigs.
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