Almond-crusted Trout and Cucumber Olive Salad

Don’t let the title fool you. This Almond-Crusted Trout and Cucumber Olive Salad can be brought together in 40 minutes. Delicious and complete meal that is naturally gluten and grain free.

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I grew up with a mom who loved to cook and she did it well. There was no shortage of home-cooked, nutritious foods (that is until we came to the states and commercial foods took over). But even with the convenience of industrialized foods at her fingertips, my mom relished in making her signature Cream Puffs and French Crepes (with real butter) and soups loaded with nutrition. It came natural to her because that was her upbringing too.

There were our standard tastes and flavors that she was used to cooking with and we were used to eating. Lamb was pretty common in our home. As was anything with organ meats. The regular standbys of mayonnaise, garlic and dill was pretty much a no-brainer.

However, one thing I wish we had more of was flavors and textures that were new to us. Tastes that we were unfamiliar with. Ingredients completely unique and unusual.

It would take me over three decades to expand my palate and learn to appreciate the food of other cultures and flavors. The most recent ingredient I learned to love is chermoula. It’s an herby marinade used in Algerian, Libyan and Moroccan cooking. It’s traditionally used to flavor seafood but can also be used on meats and vegetables. It consists of fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic and seasonings and adds a very delicate yet zesty flavor to any dish.

I learned about Chermoula through Sun Basket. Though you can easily make it yourself, it already came prepped and ready to go in this meal. I love exploring other cultures through Sun Basket‘s wild flavor combinations and delicious recipes. It’s definitely not something I naturally would add to my trout, but it works amazingly well in this dish. And that’s another reason why I love Sun Basket – is it gives me the confidence to try something unique without having to buy a boatload of ingredients I may not use later. There has not been a recipe I haven’t liked with Sun Basket.

And right now, you can get 3 FREE Family Menu Meals of fresh, organic, non-GMO ingredients and kid-friendly recipes delivered to your doorstep!

Almond-Crusted Trout and Cucumber Olive Salad

Sun Basket makes it easy to cook healthy meals and is suitable for people following Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Vegetarian diets. They also have options for Breakfast only and their newest (and my favorite!) is Family option.  You  choose from delicious recipes each week and have them delivered to your door in appropriate packaging to withstand the weather. Because you get to choose the recipes – you get to choose unique flavors to try next!

Almond-Crusted Trout with Chermoula and Cucumber-Olive Salad

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Moroccan

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 2 people

Author: Chef Justine @ Sun Basket

This Almond-Crusted Trout and Cucumber Olive Salad can be brought together in 40 minutes. Delicious and complete meal that is naturally gluten and grain free.

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Ingredients

Cucumber-Olive Salad

• 1 Persian cucumber
• 3 tablespoons Kalamata olives
• 3 tablespoons Castelvetrano olives
• 1 medium lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Trout

• 2 6 oz. trout fillets
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1 pasture-raised organic egg
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil for frying
• Sun Basket chermoula (fresh parsley, cilantro, olive oil, fresh garlic, coriander, cumin, salt)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Cucumber & Olive Salad

1. Trim the ends from the cucumber; peel the cucumber, if desired. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then on the diagonal into 1/4 inch thick slices. 

2. Coarsely chop the Kalamata olives and Castelvetrano olives. 

3. Zest and juice the lemon, keeping the zest and juice separate. Set aside the juice for the chermoula. 

4. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, olives, lemon zest and 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt. 

Almond- Crusted Trout

1. Pat the trout dry with a paper towel; season with salt and pepper.

2. In a shallow bowl or plate, spread the almond meal in an even layer; season with salt and pepper. 

3. Crack the egg into another shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper and whisk until just blended.

4. In another shallow bowl or plate, spread this slivered almonds in an even layer. 

5. Dredge the trout in the almond meal, turning to coat; shake off any excess. Dip the trout into the egg; allowing the excess to drip off, then gently press both sides into the slivered almonds to help them adhere.

6. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons avocado oil until hot but not smoking. Add the trout and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Watch carefully so the coating doesn't burn. Reduce heat if necessary.

Chermoula

1. In a small bowl, stir together the chermoula (fresh parsley, cilantro, olive oil, fresh garlic, coriander, cumin, salt), reserved lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt. 

Assembling the Meal

1. Transfer the trout and cucumber-olive salad to individual plates. Drizzle the trout with the chermoula and serve.