Ingredients
Trout
- 4river trout of about 250 g each, gutted, gills removed, fins trimmed
- 8thin slices cured mountain ham (pernil or jamon serrano)
- 3 tbspplain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 tspfine salt
- black pepper
To cook
- 60 gpork lard, or 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4extra slices of cured ham, for crisping
- 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 20 gflat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1lemon, cut into wedges
Directions
- Rinse the trout inside and out, dry them thoroughly, and score the thickest part of each flank twice, about 5 mm deep, so the heat reaches the bone evenly.
- Season lightly inside only; the cured ham will bring most of the salt.
- Fold two slices of ham into each belly cavity, pressing them against the bone.
- Dust the outside of each trout in seasoned flour and shake off all but the thinnest film.
- Heat the lard in a wide heavy frying pan over medium-high until it shimmers, about 180°C (350°F), and lay the trout in head to tail. Do not crowd them; work in two pans or two batches.
- Fry 4–5 minutes on the first side, without moving them, until the skin is crisp and lifts freely from the pan.
- Turn once with a fish slice and a spoon, and give them 3–4 minutes more. They are done when the dorsal fin pulls out with no resistance and the flesh at the backbone has just turned opaque.
- Lift onto warm plates. Drop the extra ham slices into the hot fat for 30 seconds until they curl and crisp, then the garlic for 20 seconds until pale gold, and pour the lot over the trout with the parsley.
- Serve at once with lemon and boiled potatoes.
Technique
- The dish lives or dies on the frying fat. Andorran and Pyrenean kitchens use pork lard, which takes the heat without burning and carries the cured flavour into the skin; olive oil is a fair second.
- Do not move the trout for the first four minutes. The floured skin has to set into a crust before it will release, and prodding it early tears the fillet.
- The ham goes in raw and steams inside the cavity, seasoning the flesh from within. Crisping it as well, over the top, gives the contrast the dish is known for.
Substitutions
- Sea trout or small rainbow trout stand in for river trout; add a minute a side for anything over 300 g.
- In place of Catalan pernil, use prosciutto or any air-dried mountain ham sliced thin. Avoid smoked ham, which overwhelms the freshwater flavour.
Variations
- Truites a la navarra, the closely related Navarrese dish that gave this one its shape.
- A version dusted with cornmeal instead of flour for a coarser crust.
- Finished with a handful of toasted almonds thrown into the pan with the garlic.
History
Pyrenean streams supply the trout, paired with cured mountain ham; the dish appears across Andorra, Navarre and Aragon.
Frequently asked questions
What is Trout with ham?
Trout with ham is a main from Andorra: pyrenean river trout pan-fried with cured mountain ham. Pyrenean streams supply the trout, paired with cured mountain ham; the dish appears across Andorra, Navarre and Aragon.
How long does Trout with ham take to make?
Trout with ham takes 20 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Trout with ham?
Yes, within limits. Sea trout or small rainbow trout stand in for river trout; add a minute a side for anything over 300 g. In place of Catalan pernil, use prosciutto or any air-dried mountain ham sliced thin. Avoid smoked ham, which overwhelms the freshwater flavour.
What is the most important thing to get right in Trout with ham?
Heat the lard in a wide heavy frying pan over medium-high until it shimmers, about 180°C (350°F), and lay the trout in head to tail. Do not crowd them; work in two pans or two batches.
