Dressed-up Trout
Italians eat a lot of fish, and we eat it in many different ways. Most of the time we have fish as a second course accompanied by a salad. Dressed-up Trout is my spin on this Italian “secondo”. I placed my salad on the fish. Salads can be boring, but they can come alive with a little imagination.
I make a simple batter for the fish by whipping some egg whites with sweet chilli Thai sauce. To this I add a tablespoon of flour and one of cornstarch. I want to keep the dish light but give it some flavour; the Thai sauce will add a bit of heat. The salad brightens everything up with its tangy, but simple vinaigrette. Packed with a variety of greens this salad gets a little kick from the gherkins and the pickled onion. I think salads have no limits; your imagination can bring anything together in a salad.
When we lived in Nunavut we ate a lot of Arctic Char. Now back in Ontario, trout is a fatty fish that provides me with omega 3. According to some studies it is low in contaminants. For a good read on trout see: https://www.dovemed.com/healthy-living/natural-health/7-health-benefits-rainbow-trout/
We eat a lot of fish especially for an evening meal as part of the Mediterranean diet. Fish preparation can also be fun. You can make fun crusts out of couscous, wild rice or sesame seeds. Try condiments like flavoured butters, dressed-up yogurt, or a little liqueur slurry. You can add capers, leeks or spinach. The power of your imagination can bring any dish to life!!
The batter is thick and frothy.
The fish swimming in the batter.
The trout fries up golden brown.
The salad comes together with the broccoli, gherkins and pickled onions.
The edamame joins the bowl.
The egg goes into the salad.
This simple vinaigrette brings everything together.
Plated the fish is on the bottom and the salad is on top.
Dressed-up Trout
Put the salad on top of the fish and take it to the table.
Ingredients
The Fish
- 3 trout fillets
- 3 egg whites
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Thai sweet chilli pepper sauce
- 2 tbsp canola oil
The Salad and Dressing
- 1 cup edamame beans
- 3 tbsp chopped gherkins
- 2 hard boiled eggs chopped
- 1 head broccoli steamed
- 2 tbsp chopped pickled onions
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/8 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 Orange cut into slices
Instructions
The Fish
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Dry the fish fillets.
Blend the eggs whites, flour, cornstarch and Thai sweet chilli pepper sauce.
Beat well.
Soak each fillet in the batter.
Place in the heated canola oil.
Cook 3 minutes on each side.
Place on a platter.
The Salad
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Clean and cut the broccoli into small pieces.
Place in a microwaveable dish and add 2 tbsp of water.
Cook on high for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile chop the boiled eggs, gherkins and onions and put in the bottom of a large bowl.
Once the broccoli is steamed, cool and place in the bowl.
Put the edamame beans on top of the broccoli.
I used frozen edamame that I thawed.
Now mix the dressing by placing the olive oil, dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and brown sugar in a jar and shake.
Pour over the other ingredients and toss to mix.
The Assembly
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To plate place one trout fillet on a plate and top with the salad.
Use the cut orange slices to decorate.
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