Pan-Seared Trout with Red Quinoa-Chorizo Risotto
The Nitty Gritty:
Fresh ingredients take center stage- Level: 1
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Yields: 4 servings
- Tags: seafood main
Developed on the fly by Savoy chef de cuisine Annie Pettky and her able-bodied assistant (me!), this trout dish lets fresh ingredients take center stage with simple preparation. A summery squash and basil slaw adds bright flavor and crunch.
Thanks to Chef Pettky!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red quinoa
- 2 cups water
- ½ red onion, diced
- ¼ lb. chorizo
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 Tbsp. white wine
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 trout filets, about 4 oz. each, skin on
- 2 medium summer squashes, sliced lengthwise on a mandoline, 1/8" thick
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil
- ½ small shallots, minced
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions:
- Bring quinoa and water to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed the water.
- Sautee minced red onion, chorizo, and thyme until onion has softened. Add quinoa and wine. When the wine is absorbed, add cream.
- Simmer until thick and creamy. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- While risotto is simmering, sear trout (skin side down) in a hot skillet. Turn heat down and cook until skin is crisp.
- Flip filet over, add 1 Tbsp. butter, and cook for 1 minute. Transfer trout to tray lined with paper towels.
- Quickly saute the shaved squash with the remaining butter in skillet. Add basil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- To serve, spoon risotto onto plates, layer squash, and top with trout. Garnish with lemon zest.
Comments
By Alison L. McConnell
Alison L. McConnell is the HG’s editor and publisher. She also runs The Humble Gourmand’s catering and prepared food business, which serves as a conduit between Chesapeake Bay watershed farmers and butchers, artisan/small-batch producers up and down the East Coast, and hungry clients in the Washington area.
A native of New Jersey and upstate New York, Alison attended Bowdoin College in Maine and the London School of Economics before settling in Washington in 2004. She studied the culinary arts at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD. She abides by a long-standing family motto: McConnells always finish their desserts.
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is published the first Friday of each month, edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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