Chef Eric Brenner	Leon Bierbaum

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Trout Meunière

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2003

Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 4 whole trout, about 12 oz each, or 4 trout fillets, 7 to 8 oz each

• Kosher salt

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup clarified butter (see note) or 2 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp butter

• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, cilantro or chervil

• Lemon wedges for garnish

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Preparation

If using whole trout, remove heads; clean fish and pat dry. Carefully remove fins; fillet the fish, leaving skin intact. Remove the row of small pin bones from fillets with tweezers or a sharp knife.

Lightly salt flesh side of fillets; dip both sides in flour and shake off any excess.

Heat a sauté pan on high; when hot, add clarified butter and reduce heat to medium-high. Immediately add the trout, flesh side down, and cook about 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn fish over and turn off heat; the hot pan will finish cooking the thin fillets. After another 4 minutes, transfer fish to a serving platter; set aside and keep warm.

Pour off liquid from the pan; add lemon juice and 1/4 cup butter. Place the pan over medium heat until butter becomes frothy; add the herb of your choice. Pour over fish, garnish with lemon and serve immediately.

Variations: For Trout Grenobloise, add about 2 teaspoons drained capers with the chopped herbs. For Trout Amandine, add 3 to 4 tablespoons sliced almonds to the frothy butter.

Note: To clarify utter, melt stick of butter, let cool, then chill. Lift off the solids and discard the white liquid. Melt the solidified butterfat again for easy measuring.