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Trucha a la navarra
Trout with cured ham
Trucha a la navarra: river trout pan-fried with a slice of cured ham folded inside
The trout streams of the Navarrese Pyrenees, the Irati above Burguete and the Bidasoa among them, gave this dish to the whole of Spain, and it is still the summer lunch in the mountain inns where anglers stay. The fish is opened, a slice of cured ham laid inside, then floured and fried in olive oil so the ham's salt seasons the flesh. This contains pork (serrano ham). Serve it with boiled potatoes or a green salad. Chef's tip: cook in two pans or two batches rather than crowding one, so the skin crisps instead of steaming.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 whole troutabout 300 g each, gutted and cleaned
- 8 thin slices of serrano hamabout 100 g
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 ⅛ oz plain flour
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 lemon (optional)cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse the 4 whole trout inside and out and pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Season the inside lightly with the ½ tsp salt (the ham is salty).
5 minStep 2: Fold 2 slices of 8 thin slices of serrano ham into the belly of each fish and press it closed.
3 minStep 3: Dust the fish all over in the 2 ⅛ oz plain flour and shake off the excess.
2 minStep 5: Raise the heat to medium-high and fry the trout, two at a time, for 4–5 minutes a side without moving them, until the skin is crisp and golden. A common mistake is turning the fish too soon, which tears the skin; wait until it releases from the pan on its own.
10 minStep 6: The trout is cooked when the flesh at the thickest part by the backbone is opaque and flakes when pushed with a knife. Serve with the fried garlic spooned over, and 1 lemon and 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley if you like.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does trucha a la navarra take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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