Lemon Cream Sauce for Trout

By
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/16/21
Trout with lemon cream sauce

Bob Ingelhart

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 2 servings

Broiled trout is a great dinner option. Quick and easy, it's perfect for a weeknight meal and because trout is usually farm-raised it doesn't cause harm to declining wild fish stocks. This recipe adds a lemon cream sauce, fancying up the meal, but you can easily skip the sauce (lowering both calories and fat), serving with lemon wedges or tartar sauce. Either way, it's absolutely delicious. 

Ingredients

  • 2 trout fillets

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix

  • 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1/2 cup white wine, or vermouth

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 2 teaspoons capers

  • 1 carrot, julienned

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 1/4 medium fennel bulb, diced

  • 1/2 cup fresh peas

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

  • 4 to 5 small red potatoes, quartered into wedges

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Parsley, for garnish, optional

  • Lemon wedges, for garnish, optional

  • Toasted almond slices, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Turn on broiler and place rack in top position.

  2. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then brush both sides of fillets with olive oil, place skin-side down and sprinkle with Italian herb mix, paprika, and a bit of salt.

  3. Place in oven and cook for about 4 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, heat wine, lemon juice, and shallots in a small pan over medium-high heat.

  5. Reduce wine to about a tablespoon, add cream and continue cooking over medium-high heat for about a minute.

  6. Remove from heat and stir in butter, capers, salt, and white pepper. Once trout is plated, pour sauce over fillets.

  7. Optional Sides: Preheat oven to 200 F. Keep trout covered and warm in the oven. In a small or medium frying pan, add a couple of tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil and toss in the julienned carrots. Boil for about a minute, remove and place covered into the warm oven. Remove excess moisture from pan, set flame to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add potato wedges and fry on both sides until crispy. Season with salt and pepper while cooking, for a bit of heat mix in a dash of smoked paprika. Once cooked remove to a paper towel-lined plate to let the excess oil soak off. Keep in the warmed oven until ready to assemble. Wipe out the pan, place over medium-high heat, add remaining butter. Once melted add the fennel and cook for about a minute. Next, combine the peas and cream with the fennel. Cook till peas are softened but not mushy, about three minutes.

  8. To Assemble: Place potatoes down first, spooning the peas over potatoes and now gently lay the trout on top of the bed of peas. Stack the julienned carrots on the trout. Pour the lemon cream sauce over the dish and for an extra touch add some toasted almond slices. 

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tip

  • Pair this sweet, tangy, salty trout with a few julienned carrots, pan-fried red potatoes, and sautéed fennel and peas. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
954 Calories
49g Fat
90g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 954
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g 63%
Saturated Fat 25g 125%
Cholesterol 149mg 50%
Sodium 499mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 90g 33%
Dietary Fiber 12g 44%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 57mg 287%
Calcium 163mg 13%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 2701mg 57%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)