Pan Seared Steelhead Trout With Lemon Thyme Butter Sauce Recipes

STEELHEAD TROUT RECIPE WITH LEMON CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the tops of steelhead trout fillets with Italian herb seasoning and salt (generously). Fish fillets will have skins on the bottom.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat until hot but not smoking. (Note: 1 tablespoon of olive oil is enough as fish will release lots of its own oil - steelhead trout is a fatty kind of fish).
• Add steelhead trout fillets, skin side up, non-skin side down. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat, making sure the oil does not smoke.
• Turn the fillets over, skin side down. Cook for another 2 minutes on medium-low heat (keeping oil from burning).
• Remove from heat, close the pan with the lid, and let the trout sit for 5-10 minutes until flaky and cooked through completely.
• After the fish is cooked through, using a spatula, carefully remove trout fillets to the plate, separating the fillet from the skin (skin will remain on the bottom of the pan). Carefully scrape the fish skin off the bottom of the pan, making sure to leave the fish oil in the pan.
• Add capers, diced garlic, and lemon juice to the same skillet with oil in which you just cooked the trout.
• Cook the sauce on medium-low heat for about 1 minute, until garlic softens a bit. Remove from heat.
• Add 2 tablespoons of butter, off heat, to the lemon caper sauce, stirring, until the butter melts and forms a creamy mixture.
• Add cooked steelhead trout fillets back to the pan, spoon sauce over the fish, and serve.

PAN-FRIED TROUT WITH LEMON THYME BUTTER

Steps:

• Pat dry fillets thoroughly with paper towel. Salt and pepper on all side.
• In a large skillet (I use non-stick), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is sizzling, add the fillets skin-side down. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 5 minutes. Then flip each fillet and continue to cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove onto a plate skin-side up and loosely cover with a foil, while prepare the sauce. Don't cover the fillets tightly, or the crispy skin will get soggy.
• To make the sauce, add lemon juice, thyme and salt in a medium skillet. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and cook until it until reduced in half. Remove thyme, reduce the heat to low and add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Swirl the pan to slowly melt the butter before adding the remaining butter. The trick is to slowly melt the butter to get the silky sauce, instead of melted butter. You can pick up the skillet, hovering it over the heat and swirling it to melt the butter.
• Serve the trout with side of rice, or vegetables of your choice, and lemon butter sauce on the side.