This classic French dish, Truite aux Amandes, transforms simple trout into a restaurant-quality meal with minimal effort. The fish is dredged in flour and pan-fried until the skin is crisp and golden, locking in moisture. The star of the show is the topping: sliced almonds toasted in a generous amount of butter until fragrant and nutty, then poured over the hot fish. The combination of delicate, flaky trout and rich, crunchy almonds creates a luxurious texture contrast. Bright lemon slices and fresh parsley add a necessary pop of acidity and color to cut through the richness. This recipe is perfect for a romantic dinner, a special weekend lunch, or when you want to impress guests with an effortless yet sophisticated main course. It pairs beautifully with roasted potatoes or a simple green salad.
Truite Aux Amandes (Trout With Almonds
Description
This classic French dish, Truite aux Amandes, transforms simple trout into a restaurant-quality meal with minimal effort. The fish is dredged in flour and pan-fried until the skin is crisp and golden, locking in moisture. The star of the show is the topping: sliced almonds toasted in a generous amount of butter until fragrant and nutty, then poured over the hot fish. The combination of delicate, flaky trout and rich, crunchy almonds creates a luxurious texture contrast. Bright lemon slices and fresh parsley add a necessary pop of acidity and color to cut through the richness. This recipe is perfect for a romantic dinner, a special weekend lunch, or when you want to impress guests with an effortless yet sophisticated main course. It pairs beautifully with roasted potatoes or a simple green salad.Ingredients
Directions
-
Clean the trout, trimming the tails but leaving the skin on as the scales are small and edible.
-
Prepare the lemon by trimming the ends, peeling away the skin and pith, and slicing the flesh crosswise into 6 slices. Set aside.
-
Season the trout inside and out with salt and freshly ground pepper.
-
Dredge the trout in flour, coating completely, then shake off any excess flour.
-
Heat 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
-
Carefully add 3 trout to the pan and cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 to 8 minutes.
-
Turn the trout and cook on the other side until golden brown and the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife, about 5 to 8 minutes longer.
-
Transfer the cooked trout to a platter and cover loosely to keep warm.
-
Repeat the cooking process with the remaining 3 trout, adding more oil if necessary.
-
Discard the used butter and oil from the pan, then wipe the pan clean.
-
Melt the remaining 10 tablespoons of butter in the same pan over medium heat.
-
Add the sliced almonds to the melted butter and sauté, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown and fragrant.
-
Immediately pour the hot almond butter mixture over the trout on the platter.
-
Place one slice of lemon on top of each trout.
-
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 226.2kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8.1g13%
- Saturated Fat 1.7g9%
- Cholesterol 85.5mg29%
- Sodium 66.3mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 1.3g1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.4g2%
- Sugars 0.4g
- Protein 33.2g67%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Trout scales are very small and become tender during cooking, so scaling is not strictly necessary, though you may remove them if you prefer.
Watch the almonds closely while toasting; they can burn quickly once they start to brown.
For a lighter variation, you can reduce the butter used for the almonds and substitute some with olive oil, though the traditional flavor comes from the browned butter.
This dish is best served immediately while the fish is hot and the almond topping is still warm and glossy.
