Pan Fried Trout with a Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe
UPDATED & REVISED
I posted this recipe pan fried trout with lemon butter sauce years ago on a visit back to Park City, Utah, where we used to live and now live again. My photo up there didn't look so good, so I decided to make it again and try to take a better photograph. When I read the recipe, I thought I could make it better than the one posted, so I made a few changes and thought it was much better than the previous version.
I mostly took the ingredients used for garnish, like the tomato and capers, and added them to the sauce. I also reduced the amount of lemon for my family's tastes, but that becomes your individual preference.
We are on our annual vacation to Park City to visit old friends and neighbors while getting a little skiing in. It brings back many memories from the six years we lived here after moving west from New York City. Some of those memories include the great meals we enjoyed at our favorite local restaurants.
This week, I'll bring you a few recipes from some of these restaurants and some new ones in town. The recipes come from local publications used for marketing the restaurants.
I'll also tell you about any meals we have while here, but I'm still determining how often that will be since most nights we will be eating at friend's homes.
Last night we enjoyed a delicious lasagna from our dear friend Alice, the person most responsible for us ending up in Park City in the first place. Thanks, Alice.
My Version of The Mustang's Utah Red Trout
This recipe is an adaptation of one from a new restaurant in Park City called Mustang Restaurant (at least new to me). It is served with a simple lemon butter sauce with capers and chives. Chef Hufferd says, "Because of the trout's tender, flaky texture, pan sear the fillets to keep them intact."
The Mustang is at 890 Main Street, Park City, Utah.
📖 Recipe
Trout with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 trout fillets about 6 to 8 ounces each
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil to saute fish
- 1 tablespoon shallot minced
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 Roma tomato finely chopped
- 1 lemon juice from
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped for garnish
- 2 tablespoons tasted pine nuts for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large saute (fry) pan over medium high heat.
- Carefully add the olive oil and let it heat up but don't let it smoke.
- Season the trout with salt and pepper and when the oil is hot, add the fillets skin side down and cook for three to four minutes. How long depends on the thickness of of the fish, the type of pan and the amount of heat.
- Flip the fillets over and cook for another two to three minutes or until the fish is cooked through and starts to flake. Remove the fish and transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Using your spatula, remove any small pieces of fish that may be stuck to the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium, add two tablespoons of butter to the pan and saute the shallots for a couple of minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and capers and cook for one an additional minute or two.
- Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the sauce by half or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the rest of the butter gradually in small pieces, whisking after each addition. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Plate the trout, spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish the plate with chives and toasted pine nuts.
Notes
Fresh Trout Fillets
Lemon Butter Sauce
Some of My Favorite Seafood Recipes
- How to Make Shrimp Scampi: A Step-by-Step Recipe
- How to Bake Salmon or Slow Bake Salmon
- Salmon Curry with Coconut Miso Recipe
- Grilled Salmon Delight: Perfectly Cooked Catch of the Day
- Everything You Need to Know About Ceviche
- Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Fennel Recipe
- Classic Tuna Casserole with Dill Recipe
- Shrimp Sauce Recipe
Tracy W
This sounds absolutely amazing! After our annual summer vacation fishing in upstate NY with my folks (assuming The Boss and the boys actually catch something!), you can BET that I'll be making this one. MMMMMMM!
Have a great rest of your vacation - happy skiing!
Lynne A
I visited this restaurant in June and copied down the ingredients from the menu and have been trying to find a similar one. Then on their website I found the the lemon butter. Trout/lemon butter/ got me to your blog. Thanks. Trying this tonight!
The Reluctant Gourmet
Hi Lynne, you are welcome and thanks for finding me. Let me know how your trout turns out.
Lisa Power
We go to your restaurant TWICE on each and every trip, just for the trout! Wish we could get it here in SoCal. Delicious! (And this is from two foodies who are very picky.) And the mashed potatoes with the smoky white pepper: to die for!
The Reluctant Gourmet
Hi Lisa, Mustang Restaurant is not my restaurant but I'm sure they will appreciate the compliment and yes the trout is incredible.
Kristyn
This post is awesome, I have my space account recommend to my friends, and visit your site.
Hi Kristyn, thanks for sharing. - RG
Katerina
Absolutely delicious recipe, it felt like we were dining at an elegant restaurant, easy and quick to make, too. I used whole trouts.
Lou
I'd love to have the trout recipe from the River Ranch restaurant in Park City, Utah. It had a delicious pistachio coating...
Thanks
Lou
The Reluctant Gourmet
Hey Lou, I have a good contact in Park City and will see if I can get that recipe for you. If not, I'm sure we can come up with our own recipe. Stay tuned.
The Reluctant Gourmet
Hey Lou, my contact was not able to get a hold of Chef Seth Adams from the Riverhorse Restaurant but I found a video clip of him preparing the dish for a local news program at http://www.tastydays.com/videos/pistachio-crusted-red-trout. Hope this helps.