TROTA CON OLIVE VERDI, LIMONE E ACCIUGHE – Pan fried trout with green olives, lemon slices and anchovies, is one of my favourite ways to cook trout. I also used the same ingredients to pan fry other types of fish.
Anchovies are one of the quiet flavour builders of Sicilian cooking. Rather than standing out, they melt gently into olive oil, adding a rich savoury depth that enhances fish without overpowering its delicate flavour. In Sicily, anchovies are often tucked into slashes cut into whole fish before cooking or dissolved in oil to create a simple but intensely flavoured sauce.
Because trout has soft, flaky flesh, I prefer not to slash the fish. Instead, I let the anchovies slowly dissolve in the pan with the olive oil before adding the trout, allowing their flavour to infuse the fish as it cooks.
Green olives and lemon are classic Mediterranean companions to fish, bringing brightness and a gentle acidity that balance the richness of the anchovies. For this recipe I have added fresh sage. Although sage is more commonly associated with veal and pork than with Sicilian fish dishes, I enjoy its earthy fragrance with trout. If you prefer a more traditional Sicilian flavour, rosemary is an excellent alternative.
Use good quality olives, green or light brown (not too processed or ripe).
RECIPE: TROTA CON OLIVE VERDI, LIMONE E ACCIUGHE – Pan fried trout with green olives, lemon slices and anchovies
INGREDIENTS
- Whole fish, one large trout (for 2-3 people)
- lemons, 1-2 whole – ends trimmed, sliced into thick circles
- extra virgin olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- anchovies, 3-6 cut finely
- green olives, a couple of tablespoons, well drained
- sage or rosemary
PROCESS
- Prepare the fish – clean, dry and stuff a few herbs in the cavity.
- Add a little oil (about one tablespoon depending on your pan) to the frying pan and over medium heat. Add the lemon slices and pan fry them until lightly browned – turn once. In order to brown the lemon slices they should not be overcrowded so you may need to pan fry them in two batches.
- Remove the lemon slices from the pan with the oil and any of the juices.
- Add a little more oil to the fry pan, heat it and add the anchovies. Stir them around in the pan over medium-low heat until they dissolve.
- Add the trout. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (remember that the anchovies are salty) and add the sage. Pan fry the fish on both sides and only turn once.
- Add the olives half way the cooking.
- Toss the slices of lemon and the juices back in the pan and heat through.
I once cooked this dish for friends in Paris.
When I was in Paris a couple of months ago I saw this hand painted Fridge in a store window. This fridge is part of Sicily is my Love, a colourful collaboration by Smeg fridges and Dolce&Gabbana’s signature decorative style. Each of the 100 fridges illustrate Sicilian folklore in bold, vibrant colour and are hand-painted by Sicilian artists. They were released during the Milan Design Fair, Salone del Mobile di Milano in 2016.
TROTA CON SALSA SARACINA (PAN FRIED TROUT with Saracen, green olive sauce)