A delicate trout fillet seasoned and cooked to perfection, served with a sweet and tangy apricot sauce, and paired with rice for a complete meal.
Trout is a culinary treasure, beloved for its delicate texture, rich flavor, and numerous health benefits. Combining trout with the vibrant sweetness of Armenian apricots creates a dish that is as unique as it is unforgettable. This recipe, shared by renowned Armenian chef Karo Guyumjyan, elevates the natural flavors of trout with a luscious apricot sauce.
Perfect for any occasion, this dish blends simplicity with sophistication. The trout is gently cooked to preserve its tenderness, while the apricot sauce, infused with white wine and tarragon, brings a burst of flavor that complements the fish beautifully. Serve it with rice for a meal that’s both wholesome and indulgent.
Ingredients
Method
- Run your fingers along the fillet and pull out any pin bones with the tweezers.
- Cut the fillet into 2 portions and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season both sides with the salt and paprika.
- Fold each sheet of baking paper in half, open it out again and brush the centre of one half with oil.
- Lay a piece of trout on the oiled half of each sheet, next to the fold.
- Top each piece with a sprig of tarragon, half the pepper strips and 1 tsp of butter.
- Fold the paper over the fish and seal the open edges with small, tight, overlapping folds, so no steam can escape.
- Put the parcels on the baking sheet and refrigerate them for 30 minutes to 1½ hours.
- Put the apricots, wine, water and sugar in the small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the apricots are very soft and the liquid is syrupy; add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Stir in the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
- Blend the sauce smooth, or leave it chunky as you prefer, and keep it warm.
- Cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Bake the parcels for 12–14 minutes, until they have puffed up and the fish is opaque and flakes when pressed; a thermometer in the thickest part should read about 60°C (140°F).
- Let the parcels stand for 2 minutes, then open them carefully, away from your face.
- Slide the trout and its juices onto warm plates, spoon over the apricot sauce and serve with the rice.
- Prepare the Trout
- Remove the skin and bones from the trout fillet.
- Season the fillet with salt and sweet red pepper.
- Top the fillet with tarragon sprigs, sliced bell pepper, and butter.
- Wrap the seasoned fillet tightly in a vacuum-sealed or food-safe plastic bag.
- Refrigerate for 1.5 hours to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Cook the Trout
- Fill a large pot with water and heat to 175°F (80°C).
- Submerge the bagged trout in the water and cook for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Apricot Sauce
- Combine dried apricots, white wine, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve
- Plate the trout fillet and drizzle with the apricot sauce.
- Serve alongside steamed rice for a complete meal.
- Vacuum bag in an 80°C (176°F) water bath replaced with a baking-paper parcel baked at 190°C (375°F) No vacuum sealer or thermometer-controlled bath is needed: the sealed parcel keeps the butter, tarragon and juices around the fish in the same way.
- Cooking time cut from 30 minutes to 12–14 minutes At 80°C (176°F) for half an hour the trout ends up well past done. In the oven a 150 g piece is cooked through and still moist in about 12 minutes.
- Chilling time can be cut to 30 minutes The fillet is thin; half an hour is enough for the tarragon to perfume it, though the chef's 1½ hours does no harm.
- Dried apricots chopped and 100 ml of water added to the sauce 100 g of dried apricots soak up 120 ml of wine before they soften, leaving a paste rather than a sauce.
- 'Sweet red pepper' for seasoning read as sweet paprika Paprika is the ground form of sweet red pepper; the sliced bell pepper goes on top of the fish.
- Rice quantity given: 150 g for two The original lists steamed rice without an amount.
The dish in the photograph was cooked by the restaurant for this story. Photo: Oleksandr Slyadnyev.