Shallot + garlic roast ocean trout

Ocean trout has become my new favorite fish. A little leaner and a little less expensive than king salmon, but similar in looks, its taste is sharp yet mild and it's easy to mistake for salmon. Brook trout, the thinner white variety, is a different venture (though no less delicious) and not to be confused with its meatier cousin of the sea. I've been picking up a cut of the ocean variety once or twice a week from our fishmonger. I bite the bullet and buy a piece larger than would feed us for that day, even if it means spending extra because the leftovers are fabulous flaked, brought to room temp and repurposed with salad the next day for lunch (though we are of course, never left with as much as I thought we would have...). This garlic-shallot roasted fish is a winner.


Everything happening in the food blog-o-sphere leading up to Thanksgiving always makes me want to drop everything and bake. So many colors, so many flavors, so many creative sweets. It's a time, when there are so many other things to do, also, that I feel the need to reign it in and pick and choose, because all pumpkin-swirling aside, real-life, real-time, dinner, breakfast and lunch also have to happen and it seems even more important to get in nutrient-rich, protein-based dishes, with intuitive assembly, like this, in. Have I been baking? Why of course. If you follow on Instagram, I've been updating some baking. Favorite of the month was swapping in cranberries and mulling spices into these crumble bars a la Smitten Kitchen. They taste like Christmas.

Shallot-garlic roast ocean trout

1-2 lbs ocean trout fillet, skin-on
1-2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, pressed or grated
1 small shallot, minced
salt + pepper
1/2 a lemon, juiced and zested
Herbs

Heat the oven to 425 and line a sheet pan with parchment. sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the parchment, then lay the fish skin side down on the paper. Set aside to take the chill off.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add shallot, sautee to soften, about a minute, then add garlic and stir. Remove from heat immediately and add lemon juice and zest. Swirl to combine, set aside to cool slightly.

Salt and pepper top of fish. With a spoon, spread the shallot mixture on top of the fish to cover. Roast 12-17 minutes depending on thickness of fillet for medium rare. When finished, tent with foil and let rest a few minutes, before sliding a spatula under to remove skin.