7 April 2016
Liz Robb
Pan Fried Trout with Watercress Sauce
Ingredients
Preparation
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1. First make the sauce. Peel and chop the onion very finely. Chop the celery very finely too. Melt 40g of butter in a saucepan and sauté the onion over a low heat for 5 minutes, then add the celery and cook for another 5 minutes until soft.
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2. Add the hot vegetables stock and simmer briskly for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, discard any tough stems from the watercress and chop it roughly.
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3. Add the watercress and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice then cook gently for just a minute or two. Pour into a blender and pulse several times. Return to the saucepan on a low heat and stir in the crème fraiche to thicken the sauce, then season well with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat whilst the fish is cooked.
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4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and, when it is hot, place the trout fillets in the pan skin side down. Fry them for 3 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Carefully turn the trout over and fry for another 2 minutes, or until the fish is completely cooked through. Lift the fillets out carefully with a fish slice onto warmed plates.
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5. Reheat the watercress sauce, stirring in the remaining knob of butter, checking the thickness and the seasoning. Serve with the trout fillets. Garnish with a sprig of watercress and a wedge of lemon.
This simple but delicious light meal is perfect for a hot day, being quick and easy to prepare from just a few ingredients. I like to serve it with steamed green vegetables or a spray of roasted vine tomatoes, but you can add rice or roast or mashed potatoes if you want to make a more substantial meal, or perhaps some crushed new potatoes.