Fish recipes – Jerte-style trout

Are you having guests over for dinner soon? Not sure what to cook? Do you like Spanish recipes? If you are looking for fish recipes here’s an idea—Jerte-style trout. It’s simple, quick and delicious.

Jerte is a small town located in the Jerte Valley, in northern Extremadura. Its picota cherries are a delicacy famous beyond the Spanish borders and fishing is a popular activity, with trout being one of the classic local dishes.

Ok, now it’s time to cook!

Ingredients for 2 people:

2 trouts

4-5 cloves of garlic (peeled)

40-50 gr pine nuts, roughly chopped

Cured ham (I used Iberian ham), chopped

The juice of 1 lemon

Flour

Fresh parsley

Olive oil

¼ glass of water

Preparation

1. Fry the trouts slightly (both sides) in a bit of oil. Reserve.

2. In the same oil, add the garlic (whole), the chopped cured ham and the pine nuts. Cook until golden.

3. Add a bit of flour and stir until there are no lumps.

4. Add the lemon juice, the water and cook for a few more minutes.

5. Put the trouts in a baking tray and pour the mix over the fish.

6. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

7. Decorate with fresh, finely-chopped parsley and serve.

The result

Do not use any salt in this recipe. The ham is already salty, so there is no need to use any salt here.

I served the fish with a mixed-leaf salad. Boiled or roasted potatoes are good alternatives as a side.

Do not substitute ham with bacon or Parma ham. Always go for serrano ham. If you can’t find serrano ham cubes in your local supermarket, buy slices and chopped them. The better the ham, the tastier the sauce!