I wanted to prepare this trout in a non-traditional way…the result is a bacon crusted trout fillet in a cilantro butter cream sauce garnished with California olives. I will definitely prepare this dish again but with modifications. First, the bacon was too powerful and needs to be cut way back. Second, more cilantro and garlic and…some spice experimentation is needed to bring out the trout flavor. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious. I took a sample to my friend Chris who gave the sauce his stamp of approval but I am not completely satisfied yet. My friend Chase called me to go to lunch and when I told him I had just prepared this dish he came right over and really enjoyed it.
Here is what I did for round one:
Bacon Crusted Trout Fillets:
8 Trout Fillets
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup bacon, lightly cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup softened butter
Directions:
Prepare a glass bottom pan by coating the bottom and sides with butter. Add some cracked pepper and sea salt to the bottom. Lightly season all sides of the trout fillets with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. In a shallow dish, combine the flour and the remaining salt and pepper. In a second shallow dish add the beaten eggs. Dip the fillet in the beaten eggs then roll the fillet in the flour, gently shaking off the excess. Place in the glass pan and repeat with remaining fillets. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the fillets and place in the ovens top rack and set the oven to broil. Fillets are done when golden brown and the fish readily pulls apart with a fork. Do not overcook!
Cilantro Butter Cream Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced shallot
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cream, lime zest and cilantro and bring to a low simmer. DO NOT ADD THE LIME JUICE at this stage since it will curdle the cream. Stir frequently until reduced by half. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice and salt and blend with a stick blender until smooth, Keep warm, or reheat gently before serving.
Arrange fillets on serving plates, top with the cilantro cream sauce and garnish as you like. Enjoy!
