Steelhead trout fishing in Montana is pretty much non existent now, so in the winter months anglers head to the cold waters of Idaho and Washington state and fish the Upper Snake and Salmon rivers.
The fish is so rare only one fish per day can be kept from the Salmon river. But, when you can find Steelhead (they are basically a migratory rainbow trout) at local restaurants like The Last Chair in Whitefish , it is definitely worth ordering.
Despite its orange color, Steelhead trout is NOT salmon. Salmon sprawn up river and then die, but Steelhead can head back out to brackish waters. The flavor is milder and it has a very tender flake. This recipe, however, can easily be used with salmon- fresh dill, panko crumbs and lots of olive oil create a crunchy topping. Salmon is the best thing to be eating this summer so I thought I’d share this simple and light recipe with you.
Serve with potatoes and a Willimette Valley Pinot Noir such as the 2018 Hyland from McMinville. You can purchase it a Tim’s Wine shop for only $25 a bottle.
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Herb and panko crusted Steelhead Trout
1. 5 lbs of steelhead trout, cut into 4 filets, skin on
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cups panko bread crumbs
1 heaping TBPS Herbs de Provence
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
zest of one large lemon
kitchen tool- Fish spatula & parchment paper
Method
- Pre heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a bowl, mix bread crumbs, herbs, dill, zest, salt and pepper. Gently fold in olive oil. Place fish, skin side down, on the parchment lined baking sheet. Blot dry with a paper towel. Spoon 1/4 cup of the panko and herb mixture over the fish, pressing down gently to help the mixture “stick” to the fish.
- Bake fish for 10-15 minutes until crumbs are golden brown and fish flakes easily. Serve with a wedge of lemon and garnish with a sprig of fresh dill.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I made this last night, it was SUPER simple and delightfully delicious, juicy, flavorful and left a great impression with my dinner guest!
I actually added lemon juice to the breadcrumb mixture and lightly seasoned the fish on both sides.
Lemon juice sounds like a great idea. So Glad you enjoyed it.