Crisp-skinned trout with brown-butter almonds and crushed potatoes — a French bistro plate at 44g protein.
Per serving
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add 1/2 tsp of the salt and the new potatoes. Simmer for 14 to 16 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain.
Tip the drained potatoes back into the warm pan, add 10ml of the olive oil, the grated garlic, and half of the lemon zest. Crush each potato lightly with a fork until split but still chunky. Cover to keep warm.
Pat the trout fillets very dry on both sides with paper towel — wet skin will not crisp. Season the flesh side with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and the black pepper.
Heat the remaining 10ml olive oil in a large nonstick or stainless skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the fillets in skin-side down and press flat with a fish slice for 10 seconds so the skin stays in contact with the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes without moving, until the skin is deep golden and crisp.
Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the flesh side, until the trout is opaque through and flakes when gently pressed. Thicker fillets may need the full 2 minutes. Lift onto four warm plates, skin-side up.
Lower the heat to medium. Drop the butter into the same pan; it will foam and quickly turn nut-brown. Add the flaked almonds and swirl for 60 to 90 seconds, until the almonds are toasted golden and the butter smells nutty — pull the pan off the heat the moment the foam subsides and the milk solids brown.
Off the heat, add the remaining lemon zest, the lemon juice, and most of the parsley. Swirl to combine — it will sizzle briefly.
Spoon the brown butter with almonds around each trout fillet and lightly over the flesh edge, keeping the crisp skin exposed on top. Plate the crushed potatoes alongside, scatter with the remaining parsley, and serve immediately.
Pat the trout twice — dry skin is the whole game. Brown butter goes from nutty to burnt in seconds, so have the lemon zest, juice, and parsley measured and within reach before you start the butter step. If your skillet is small, sear the fillets in two batches and build the brown butter at the end in the cleanest pan.
Best eaten straight away — pan-crisp skin softens overnight. If you must store, keep trout and crushed potatoes 1 day in the fridge in separate containers. Reheat the fish gently in a 160°C oven for 5 minutes; refresh the potatoes in a hot skillet with a splash of water.
