Trout With Chive Butter

- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4whole trout, butterflied
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- 1garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- ½teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice, more to taste
- ⅛teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and softened
- 1tablespoon minced chives, more for serving
- Trout roe, salmon roe or capers, for serving, optional
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the broiler. Place trout, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
- Step 2
In a mini food processor, or using a mortar and pestle or a bowl and a fork, stir together garlic, lemon juice, pepper and a pinch of salt. Add softened butter and chives and mash or process until well mixed.
- Step 3
Broil trout until just opaque, 2 to 5 minutes depending upon your broiler.
- Step 4
Drop spoonfuls of butter on top of the fish; it will melt immediately. Top with more chives and with roe or capers, and a little more lemon juice if you like.
Private Notes
Comments
I've been cooking trout for 40+ years, & this is a classic take well worth serving any day of the week. For a more decadent variation, I mix 1/2 teaspoon of minced black truffles in olive oil into the butter sauce. I also love it sprinkled with bread crumbs crisped in butter with a dash of Tony Chachere's. I use lemons in most variations, but I love using limes when going a bit Cajun.
Thanks, Melissa!
This is a great dish, so simple yet bursting with flavor! I enjoy cooking, do not consider myself an expert at all, but have no hesitation in recommending the recipe. I tried with whole fish and with a trout filet...both were excellent. It is easy to overdo the black pepper as trout can be overcome, so had to be careful of my tendency to use too much. But the garlicky butter is so good, and capers work perfectly if you don't wish to invest too much. Broiled 4 min @ farther rack setting.
I made this - as I mentioned earlier I would. Since Barbara asked about the crisp skin, I chose to put the sheet pan in the oven while the broiler was heating, then dribble some olive oil on before putting the trout down. It worked beautifully. I cooked it 5 minutes because it was a little thick and we like it better cooked through. Delicious chive butter. I probably could have salted it a bit more. I ran a parallel recipe with lentils and vinaigrette and both were delicious.
Can I skip the capers and roe if I have neither?
Super simple but so flavorful. Weeknight dinner that feels elegant!
I really struggle with cooking such that sometimes i feel bad for the husband and kids. This recipe allowed for a great nite w my teen boy—- was so nice and easy! Didn’t have chives so used scallions instead. Thank u!
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