Fast Recipes

Pan-fried ocean trout with cauliflower, almonds and brown butter

A drizzle of brown butter can turn a quick mid-week meal into something special.

By Max Adey
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 15 mins cooking
  • Serves 4
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Trust your senses with brown butter: once it stops sizzling it's usually at the right point. A splash of vinegar in the butter, whether it's sherry or red wine vinegar, adds an extra dimension.

Ingredients

  • Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, segments from 3 lemons, plus lemon wedges to serve
  • 1 golden shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tbsp capers in vinegar, rinsed
  • 4 ocean trout fillets (about 180gm each), skin on, patted dry
  • Grapeseed oil, for drizzling
  • 100 gm cold salted butter, diced
  • 80 gm slivered almonds
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
Cauliflower purée
  • 1 kg cauliflower (1 small), florets roughly chopped
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) milk, warmed
  • 50 gm butter

Method

  • 1
    For cauliflower purée, cook cauliflower in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (8-10 minutes), drain, return to pan with milk and butter, then blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. Season to taste, then cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, combine lemon rind and segments, shallot, parsley and capers in a bowl. Season to taste and toss to combine just before serving.
  • 3
    Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle trout with grapeseed oil and season to taste, then add to pan skin-side down, top with baking paper, weight with a heavy pan, and fry until skin is crisp (2-3 minutes). Turn over and fry until cooked to medium (1 minute). Remove from pan and rest for 1-2 minutes. Add butter to pan and cook over high heat until foaming and nut brown (1-2 minutes), add almonds, remove pan from heat and stir until golden (30 seconds to 1 minute), then add vinegar, stir to combine and season to taste.
  • 4
    Divide cauliflower purée among plates and top with trout, salad and brown butter sauce.