By Molly O'Neill
- Total Time
- About 20 minutes
- Rating
- 5(1,333)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This 1994 recipe gets Provencal flavors on the table in minutes. Fresh rosemary needles are pressed into the fillets, which are seasoned in flour and pan fried for a crisp exterior and flaky inside. A sauce built on shallots, white wine and lemon adds complexity. Pair it with a light vegetable like sautéed asparagus, or a bright arugula salad, and serve with some of that white wine for an easy, refreshing spring dinner.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 2teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 4trout fillets
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- ½teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 2shallots, peeled and minced
- 1cup white wine
- 1tablespoon lemon juice
- 1tablespoon drained capers
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
773 calories; 32 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 92 grams protein; 580 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
1
Press ½ teaspoon of the rosemary needles into the flesh of each trout fillet. Combine the flour, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Coat the fillets in the seasoned flour.
Step
2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the trout and saute until cooked through, about 2½ minutes per side. Remove the trout from the pan and place on warmed plates. Add the shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 seconds.
Step
3
Pour in the wine and reduce to ⅓ cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, capers and remaining teaspoon rosemary and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 trout fillet on each of 4 plates, spoon the sauce over the trout and serve immediately.
Ratings
5
out of 5
1,333
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Cooking Notes
Nora
Try bruising the leaves of a whole stem of rosemary (i.e., leave leaves attached for easy removal), adding it at the same time as the shallots, then remove the rosemary stem before spooning the reduced pan sauce onto the fish. You'll get the flavor of the rosemary without the texture of the leaves. Adjust the amount of rosemary you add the next time based on how much of its flavor you like.
theboken
Do this and change your fish game forever: start the fish skin-side down, and AS SOON as the fish hits the pan, press down on it, especially the edges, with your hand or spatula for about 15 sec or so - effectively stopping the skin from curling and the filet from contorting or "warping" under high heat. Now you have a nice skin that covers the full length of the filet and a better guarantee of even cooking. Cook skin side down for MOST of the time, then just a touch on the naked side.
Cate Doty, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking
Yes, skin side down.
twwren
You need to choose a different fish monger.
Trish
I don't drink white wine, so use Vermouth whenever white wine is called out. Perfect substitute.
John Has
Unable to get trout. Works very well with flounder.
Abigail
Why is this classified as vegetarian? Should be pescatarian.
Sharon
I made this tonight with fresh speckled trout, or sea trout, which, I now know is not actually a trout, but a drum.
This recipe was both the best and the easiest fish recipe and it came out perfectly. This seemed to be a great way to prepare this delicate and perfectly fresh fish. Served with fresh asparagus, baby lettuce and fig balsamic, sour dough bread, and a perfect white wine from Puglia.
It was a lovely spring meal.
Michael
2 teaspoons rosemary less 4 times 1/2 teaspoon rosemary pressed into the fillets leaves 0 teaspoons rosemary to add to the sauce.Surely the ingredient list should have specified 3 teaspoons chopped rosemary.
Sean
When using filets as the recipe indicates, does one start the fish skin side down?
Bob w
Used frozen halibut as it was what I had. Subbed lime for lemon, again what I had on hand. Also melted about 1tsp butter into the sauce at end. This is my new favorite fish recipe. Very easy and very flavorful! And it’s WW friendly at only 5 points per 8 oz serving
JuliaW
I used cod instead of the trout, and it was delicious!! Loved the combination of the capers, lemon and wine and the rosemary added a nice note as well. Will def add to my regular menu.
cgoddard
Another great meal - I did follow suggestions and put my rosemary in (2 twigs) whole and pulled out before serving. Simple pleasure.
Ed Hawco
This sounds yummy and I will try it soon. Picky point: surely "Add the trout and saute..." is an error. "Sauté" means to fry quickly while tossing and shaking the pan, like you would with cut up vegetables. That would cause the trout to fall apart. Surely you should simply FRY the trout.I wouldn't bother commenting on something so picky if this were just someone's blog or whatever, but this is the New York Times for Pete's sake. Where are the editors? ;-)
cjt
I started skin side down, and regretted it, because the fillets curled up on the sides, making it very difficult to brown the flesh side evenly when I flipped them. Think it would be better to star on the flesh side with so little oil in the pan; it doesn't matter about getting the skin side browned.
a
Sizzle rosemary with oil
GinnyinGeorgia
This was wonderful! First time trying this today, 3/9/24 Bought the trout from Aldi's---it's fresh, from Peru and I was a little leery, but gave it a shot. The sauce...very simple and so tasty. The trout fillet was thick and was looking too pink to me, so sauteed for at least 4-5 minutes per side. The skin came out crisp and savory. Have everything prepped beforehand. For more than two people, double the sauce ingredients and maybe triple, if you plan to serve w/ a grain.
Kimberley
Good and easy recipe
Joan
Cooked with Portola Valley Fogarty Chardonnay, lemons, dill, lemon olive oil, salt & pepper in parchments paper then foil wrapped. Took about 25 minutes at 450
Rita
Don’t forget to add the last lemon ingredient, excellent.
Mary
This is a go-to Sunday meal for us, and it never lets us down. I always cook in a cast iron skillet. Served tonight with a Greek salad and Greek potatoes. Perfect!
Robert L Guzman
Simple, but oh so great and flavorful trout. The white wine, caper sauce is delicious. And the fresh rosemary gives a subtle hint of flavor without overpowering the fish. Thankfully I have a Rosemary bush in my yard that is subtle and not pungent or strong. Our new go to recipe for Trout.
Karen
Perfect afterwork (or anytime really) dinner. Easy, healthy and tasty. I added a TBS butter to mellow the sauce but otherwise followed the recipe as written.
hz
simple and delicious. Make extra sauce, especially if you serve with rice, which soaks up all the tastiness. Fresh rosemary is easy to find and gives a great bang for your buck.
Liz
Thanks to all the cooking notes! This was simple but phenomenal. I made this with Lake Superior whitefish, green onions (no shallots available) throwing in two sprigs of rosemary while reducing the wine. Served with a baked potato and sauteed spinach. Fabulous!
Wanda
Very nice. Used Trader Joe’s frozen trout filets. Lime juice instead of lemon. Good!
Donna Blumenthal
I used bronzini instead of trout. Delicious. I used rosemary two ways, whole stem first time, chopped second time. No real difference. Shallots burned immediately both times. Maybe shallots should be cooked first and removed from pan?
christina
I’ve made this recipe as written a couple times. It’s delicious! Served with roasted broccoli and 5min boxed couscous for an easy, light midweek meal.
Donna Blumenthal
I used bronzini instead of trout, and i also left the rosemary sprig whole and removed it before it burned. It was excellent and so easy
Annie G.
I’ve made this with Trout, King Salmon, and Arctic Char. - all with great success. When I didn’t want to open up a bottle of white wine, I used about 1/3 cup Marsala & 2/3 cup chicken broth. I also like to add a Pat of butter at the end for a velvety finish.
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