Recipe of the Week: Gulf Fish Almandine
Serves 6
1 cup (8 ounces, 2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup sliced almonds
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
6 skinless speckled trout fillets, about 8 ounces each
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Thin slices of lemon, for garnish
Directions:
In a small skillet, melt ½ cup of butter over low heat. Add the almonds and stir gently until they are golden brown, for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the almonds from the pan, place in a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the same skillet. Once the butter has melted, stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while you fry the fish.
Place the flour in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil to 350 degrees in an electric deep fryer or a deep, heavy sauce pan. Dredge two of the fillets in the seasoned flour, coating both sides. Shake off the excess flour and gently lower the fillets into the hot oil. When the first two fillets are golden brown, remove with a skimmer basket and transfer to a towel-lined baking sheet to drain and keep warm while you fry the remaining fillets.
*Do not dredge the fillets until just before frying, or the coating will be gummy.
Return the lemon-butter sauce to high heat and stir for a minute or two, until piping hot.
Place each fillet on a hot plate and scatter generously with almonds. Drizzle with some of the lemon-butter sauce and serve all at once.
*This tasty dish can also be served sautéed. To complete this New Orleans classic Creole entree, serve roasted asparagus and brabant potatoes, and your guests will feel as if they are dining in an authentic New Orleans Restaurant. Bon Appétit!