trout
amandine
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for the puree:
8oz green beans - washed, trimmed
1/3c parsley leaves
1tbsp olive oil
1/2tsp kosher salt
for the trout:
2 rainbow trout fillets
a big pinch of kosher salt
2tbsp cornstarch
1tbsp almond flour
1tbsp olive oil
5tbsp unsalted butter
1/2tsp brown sugar
1/3c sliced almonds
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1-2tbsp chopped parsley
ingredients
yield: 1 serving
cook time: 30 minutes
course: main
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a historic French-Creole dish with an elegant haricot vert puree
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for the puree:
1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until slightly overcooked.
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2. Drain and immediately transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
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3. Once cooled, drain and dry the green beans thoroughly.
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4. Add green beans, parsley, olive oil, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
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for the trout:
1. On a plate or in a shallow bowl, combine the cornstarch and almond flour.
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2. Season both sides of the trout fillets with salt. Dredge each fillet in the cornstarch mixture, tapping off excess for a light, even coating.
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3. In a large stainless-steel skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Place the fish skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the flesh is completely opaque, a minute or two more. Remove from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
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4. Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the remaining butter, almonds, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, just until the butter begins to brown and the almonds are toasted. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parsley. Stir to combine.
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5. Spoon the butter sauce over the trout to serve.
process
Trout amandine (or almondine) is one of the best uses for trout that I have found. This dish will convince your family, friends, partner, or whoever you share it with that you are a proper fine French chef, as long as you don’t tell them how ridiculously easy and simple it is to prepare.
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The brown sugar is my little untraditional touch. The small amount is hardly noticeable, but the color it adds to the butter and the emphasis it adds to the sweet nuttiness of the almonds makes it an ingredient I won’t ever omit.
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The almond flour can easily be replaced with AP flour, but it does give the fish that little extra hint of almondy nuttiness that I love. It also keeps the dish gluten-free. If you’re worried about losing crispiness by using almond flour, I didn’t find that to be a problem, especially with the addition of cornstarch.
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Now the haricot vert purée surprised me, and I think it will surprise you too. When I first thought of it for this dish, I thought it would be pretty more than anything else. But the creamy earthiness of it perfectly balanced the entire dish. It cut right through the acidity from the lemon in the butter and added a mouthfeel that nothing else on the plate could have. This purée, mopped up by an almond butter–soaked piece of trout, was a more satisfying bite than I ever could have expected. Trust me.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
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