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Pan-Seared Trout with Creamy Dill Sauce
Instructions
Prepare the trout. Divide the fish into two portions. Check for pin bones and remove them with tweezers. Pat the fillets dry, particularly on the skin side. Season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the garlic and dill.
Sear the trout. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Lay the fillets skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for the first 10 seconds. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the edges turn opaque and the skin releases easily. Flip, cook for another minute or so and transfer to a separate plate.
Make the cream sauce. Lower the heat. Add the butter and garlic to the same skillet and stir for 20-30 seconds without browning the garlic. Pour in the cream and scrape up any light brown bits. Simmer gently for 2-4 minutes, until the sauce begins to coat the back of a spoon.
Finish cooking the trout. Return the fillets to the pan, skin-side down. Cook gently for 1-3 minutes, or longer for thicker pieces, until a thermometer reads 63 °C (145 °F) at the thickest part. If they are already at that temperature after searing, skip this second cook and serve with the sauce.
Add the dill and lemon. Move the trout to clean, warm plates. Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the dill, then add the lemon juice a little at a time. Taste the sauce and spoon it beside the fish so the skin stays crisper.
Keeping the sauce smooth
Cream with about 30-33% fat handles heat better than lighter cream. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer and add lemon juice gradually once the pan is off the heat. If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a spoonful of warm water.
Remove any black, burnt bits from the skillet before adding butter and garlic. Leave the light brown bits for flavour.
Serving the trout
Serve with rice, boiled potatoes or green beans. For the crispest skin, do not return fully cooked fillets to the sauce. Serve them skin-side up and spoon the sauce alongside.
Portion size and nutrition
Makes 2 servings, one fillet and half the sauce each. Allow around 25 minutes for chilled or already thawed fish. The estimate of 445 kcal per serving includes the sauce but no sides. The trout and the cream you use will affect the estimate. This recipe has not been tested in the kitchen.
More ways to cook trout or salmon
Recipe video: Trout in cream sauce with spinach
Important: This Russian-language video from MANIA uses spinach and cherry tomatoes. Follow the quantities and timings above for the dill version.
Illustrations were generated with AI.
FAQ
Can I use frozen trout? +
Yes. Thaw it in the refrigerator as directed on the packaging, then pat dry. Excess moisture can prevent browning and thin the sauce.
Can I use lighter cream? +
Yes. The sauce will be lighter and may take longer to thicken. Reduce it gently with the fish out of the pan. Add the lemon at the end or serve it on the side.
Should I remove the skin? +
No. It helps hold the fish together when you turn it. If using skinless fillets, flip them with a wide spatula and check for doneness sooner.
How do I know the trout is cooked? +
Check for 63 °C (145 °F) at the thickest point with a food thermometer. Without one, check that the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Thin fillets cook faster than thick ones.
Why did the cream sauce split? +
The heat may have been too high, or lemon juice may have gone into boiling cream. Remove the pan from the heat and try whisking in a spoonful of warm water. It may not come completely back together.
How do I make four servings? +
Double the ingredients. Sear the fish in batches if your skillet is crowded. Reduce the sauce to the same consistency. Do not double the cooking time for each fillet.
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