trout with almonds

there are days when i have an overwhelming feeling that i am wasting my time with this, especially as i suspect that those who don’t eat like this still think we’re insane. but this dinner was awesome, so here goes...

we bought 2 whole trout in a supermarket for the princely sum £2.15. for both. no, i don’t know why either. and it was waitrose too. 

the only dish i associate with trout is the classic pan-fried trout with almonds. very paleo, which is a happy coincidence. the french make their truit aux amandes with mountains of butter. as we eat some butter but not lots of it, i have more than halved the amount. you still get some of the nutty, sweet taste but feel free to use more if you wish (i’d say about 100g altogether, 50 to fry the trout in and 50 for the almonds). also, the trout is normally dredged in flour before frying but we didn’t bother. not because i think a small amount of flour matters that much but basically because it makes too much of a mess and we couldn’t be bothered.

TROUT WITH ALMONDS
for two

2 whole trout, heads on but cleaned and gutted
50g flaked almonds
olive oil
seasoning
1 –2 tbs of butter

preheat the oven to 200C. heat some olive oil in an oven-proof frying pan and, when almost smoking, add the trout and fry on one side for around 4 minutes. turn carefully and place in the oven immediately to finish cooking. this should take another 4 minutes or thereabouts.

when cooked, take out the fish and put aside on a warm plate. pour the oil out of the pan and wipe the pan with some kitchen paper. add the butter and the almonds and fry until the almonds are golden brown. spoon over the fish.

we had it with roast broccoli and cauliflower, and some wilted spinach. i know my vegetable choices are getting seriously dull but it’s a funny time of year, this. you have to wait until the beginning of may for things to get exciting, unless you get imported stuff from the supermarket which i have been trying not to do. so at the moment, we’re still on winter veg, give or take an exciting little salad leaf or two (and purple sprouting but, as predicted, i am a bit sick of it now). so bear with me, i am sure it will get better.