A Fish the Whole Family Can Enjoy – Norwegian Fjord Trout

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I’m a self confessed foodie and fish and seafood addict, last week I was pleased to be able to attend an event at the Good Housekeeping Institute to learn all about Norwegian Fjord Trout. My other half has a background in fisheries management, so he had all sorts of technical questions for me. I was more interested in the eating, but I do like to know the provenance of my food. I was fascinated (genuinely) about how the fish are reared and farmed in the crystal clear waters of the Norwegian Fjords. It’s not a new product, in fact they’ve been farming and catching this fish for as long as records began and it’s a local staple. It is new to the UK market though, and is set to be hitting your Tesco fish counter very soon if not already.

Michelin star chef Daniel Galmiche was on hand to show us how to fillet the fish and tell us about it’s unique features, plus show us how to cook it simply.

Daniel made the recipe I have given you below, pan fried fjord trout with flaked almonds. We all tried some and it was so delicate and fresh, melt in the mouth. The whole family will enjoy eating it, plus it doesn’t have that ‘fishy’ smell when you cook it.

Top chef tip: To save your pan and to stop the fish sticking, use a circle of greaseproof paper in the bottom of the pan.

What sets Norwegian Fjord Trout apart?

Simply unique, the Norwegian Fjord Trout is healthy, as it’s naturally high in Omega 3 oil and an excellent protein source. It stores most of it’s fat in it’s belly, leaving the fillets lean and firm. The vibrant deep red colour is their natural colour, coming from their sustainable, nutritious diet very close to their wild diet. The fry (baby fish) spend the first year of their life at the bottom of a glacier, getting the benefit of the fresh, oxygen rich water, before they’re moved to the tanks where they have an impressive area to move around in which is only 3% fish and 97% water! We saw a film of the fish where they are kept and I was really happy with their environment. It takes several years to grow each fish to it’s full size of 4-6 kg as it grows slowly. They use sustainable fishing methods and their high standards mean that you have a year round fish from this unique environment of crystal clear glacier streams.

The canapes were amazing, there was even a ‘shot’ of watercress and anise infused gin with skewered fjord trout which I was brave enough to try – delicious! My favourite was the sliced fjord trout pickled beetroot with quail egg and samphire filos, I had a few of those.

Get Inspired with recipe ideas

I’m sharing with you two recipes, one is simply pan fried with almonds, which is a great family recipe, and so quick; the next is for the more adventurous and perfect for a dinner party or special occasion – poached norwegian fjord trout with saffron scented mussels and lime risotto. These recipes have been developed by Daniel Galmiche specifically for the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Pan Fried Norwegian Fjord Trout with Almonds

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 x 140g Norwegian Fjord Trout fillets

2 tbsp olive oil

30g Butter

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp Flaked almonds

Method

Season the fjord trout on both sides. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and place your circle of greaseproof paper in the base. Heat the olive oil and half the butter. Once the butter starts to foam, add the fjord trout skin side down and cook for three minutes on both sides until lightly golden.

Top chef tip from Daniel Galmiche: The Fjord trout is more delicate than salmon, so take care not to overcook it, as you will lose the quality and it’s oils and nutty flavours.

Set the trout aside and add the rest of the butter to the pan. Once heated and starting to foam, add the flaked almonds and fry for 2 minutes. Add the almonds to the fish and serve with new potatoes and salad, or your choice of vegetables.

Poached Norwegian Fjord Trout with Saffron Scented Mussels & Lime Risotto

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 x 140g portions of Norwegian Fjord Trout

500ml Fish stock

Pinch of saffron

1 Small handful of chopped and washed flat leaf parsley, plus the stalks

8 Fresh mussels, washed and cleaned

60ml Double cream

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the lime risotto:

1 Banana shallot, finely chopped

135g Butter

300g Risotto rice

900ml Fish stock

1.5 Limes, zested

Method

Make the lime risotto first, by sweating the shallot in butter until light and golden. Add the risotto rice over a low heat, stir and gradually add the stock. Stir in the lime zest and the rest of the butter. Reheat with extra stock to serve if desired. To cook the fjord trout, add the fish stock to a pan with the saffron and the parsley stalks. Simmer, then plunge the fjord trout for 8 minutes, then add the mussels. Once these open, remove along with the fish and keep warm. Reduce the cooking liqour by half, then add the cream and reduce until you have about 8 tbsp left. Stir through the chopped parsley. Plate the risotto and top with the fjord trout. Place mussels on the side and on the top of the fish, then drizzle with the creamy saffron sauce.

I’ll be looking out for the fjord trout in my local Tesco fish counter so I can recreate some of the recipes that inspired me. I hope you’ve found it inspiring too, please feel free to ask me anything, I always read all the comments and reply.

Disclosure: I have been compensated for my time, all opinions are my own and honest.

 

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