Grenobloise
is a classic French sauce, composed of capers, brown butter or “beurre
noisette” and lemon. This recipe is for a classic dish – La Truite
Grenobloise, or trout with sauce Grenobloise.
Trout Grenobloise
Kosher Salt
White Pepper
10 ounce filets off whole rainbow or brook trout; skin on, scaled.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
½ lemon, segmented, diced 1/8” (brunoise)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tbsp capers
1 ¼ tbsp minced parsley
Grenobloise is a classic French sauce, composed of capers, brown butter
or “beurre noisette” and lemon. This recipe is for a classic dish – La
Truite Grenobloise, or trout with sauce Grenobloise. I prefer to cook
fish filets, generally, with the skin on. The skin, if properly cooked,
will remain crispy while the flesh of the fish is soft and delicate. To
get crispy skin, two things are important. One is to remove all excess
water, and the other is to leave your fish filet cooking on the skin
side until the skin is set and well caramelized.
First, with the back or dull side of your knife, gently scrape the skin
in one direction to remove excess water – dry on a towel with each
stroke.
Next, season each fillet on both sides with Salt and pepper, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until
just below smoking. Place each fillet skin side down in the oil and
cook until golden brown. Do not move or lift the filet until the skin
is crisped, or you risk losing the skin off the filet. Turn the fillets
over and reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for just a minute
or two, until cooked (I prefer medium rare fish). Remove fillets to a
plate.
Turn flame to low. Remove pan and allow pan cool for a few seconds. Add
butter to pan and return to low heat to cook until butter is browned –
not black. You can tell if the butter is at the brown butter or
“noisette” stage when it gives off a pleasant, nutty aroma. If it
smells of raw flour, it is not yet at the noisette stage; if it smells
burnt, toss it – you’ve got Beurre noire. Remove pan from heat and add
lemon segment brunoise and juice. Return to low heat, stir in capers
and parsley. Plate fish on mound of potatoes and spoon sauce on and
around fish.
