Pan-Fried Trout Amandine with Almond Brown Butter

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Crisp-skinned trout fillets dusted in seasoned flour, seared skin-side down until the edges curl, then finished with a brown butter sauce built in the same pan in under two minutes — toasted sliced almonds, lemon, capers and parsley. A French bistro classic that a home cook can plate in about half an hour, at a fraction of the $30-plus it costs out.

Ingredients

• 4 fillet skin-on rainbow or steelhead trout fillets, 5–6 oz each, pin bones removed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp clarified butter or ghee (or 1 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp neutral oil)

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp drained capers, patted dry
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• flaky salt, to finish

Instructions

1. Pat the trout fillets very dry on both sides with paper towels — surface moisture is the enemy of crisp skin. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prep everything else. Have the almonds, capers, lemon juice, zest and parsley measured and within arm's reach of the stove; the sauce comes together too fast to chop mid-stream.
2. Whisk the flour, salt, pepper and paprika together on a large plate or shallow dish. Dredge each fillet flesh-side first, then skin-side, pressing lightly so a thin, even coat sticks. Shake off all excess — you want a dusting, not a batter — and set the fillets on a rack or clean plate.
3. Heat a 12-inch stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes, then add the clarified butter. When it shimmers (about 350°F / a pinch of flour sizzles immediately), lay in two fillets skin-side down, away from you. Press each one flat with a fish spatula for 10 seconds so the skin makes full contact.
4. Cook skin-side down for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deep golden and releases on its own and the flesh has turned opaque about two-thirds of the way up. Flip and cook 60 to 90 seconds more, just until the thickest part flakes and registers 130–135°F. Transfer skin-side up to a warm platter and repeat with the remaining two fillets, adding a touch more clarified butter if the pan looks dry.
5. Pour off any dark fat, but leave the browned bits. Set the pan over medium heat and add the 6 tablespoons of butter. It will foam; swirl constantly with a spoon or by moving the pan and immediately add the sliced almonds.
6. Cook 60 to 90 seconds, stirring nonstop, until the almonds turn golden and the milk solids at the bottom go the colour of hazelnut skins and smell nutty. Do not walk away — brown butter goes from perfect to burnt in about 15 seconds.
7. Pull the pan off the heat and add the capers (they will spit), then the lemon juice and zest — it will hiss and foam up. Swirl to emulsify, stir in the parsley, and taste: it should be sharp, salty and nutty. Add a pinch of salt or a squeeze more lemon if needed.
8. Spoon the almond brown butter over and around the fillets, keeping the skin as bare as possible so it stays crisp. Finish with flaky salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges and something to soak up the sauce — boiled new potatoes, haricots verts, or a plain rice pilaf.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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