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Crispy Trout with Romesco, Mandarin & Fennel Salad

This recipe came together at the end of the week using what was left in the fridge — and honestly, those are always my best dishes. A couple of mandarins, a bulb of fennel, some capers, and the last red capsicum from the market turned into something truly special.

What started as a fridge clear-out turned into crispy skin trout layered over a rich, smoky romesco-style sauce, topped with a bright mandarin and fennel salad. It’s the perfect balance of crispy, sweet, punchy, and fresh — and it celebrates the best of what’s in season.

While my romesco isn’t traditional, it’s just as delicious and comes together in less time. Plus, it’s a great little leftover addition for toast or sandwiches.

The sauce is slow-cooked with olive oil, onion, garlic, capsicum, smoked paprika, and chilli until jammy and fragrant, then blended with sherry vinegar and tamari-roasted almonds. Mixing the red oil back through makes it textured yet still silky smooth and vibrant.

The trout is cooked skin-side down with a fish weight for the ultimate crisp, then plated over the romesco and topped with the juicy salad – a welcomed fresh addition that cuts through the richness of the trout and spicy sauce.

Seasonal, satisfying, and born from leftovers — this is one of those recipes you’ll want to make again on purpose.

Lunch

Dinner

A Little Longer

Serves 2

Prep Time 5 Mins

Cook Time 60 Mins

Ingredients

Method

2 x 230g boneless trout fillets, skin on
Salt
Pepper

Romesco:

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, very finely sliced
1 red capsicum, julienned
3 cloves garlic, very finely sliced
½ teaspoon flaky salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Urfa chilli flakes (or Aleppo pepper)
½ teaspoon regular chilli flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
⅓ cup tamari-roasted almonds

Mandarin and Fennel Salad:

2 small mandarins, peeled and segmented
2 tablespoon capers in brine
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small bulb fennel, finely shaved, plus a few fronds reserved
5g mint leaves, picked
5g parsley leaves, picked

Method

1
Make the romesco: heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, capsicum, garlic and salt. Reduce to a low simmer and cook until the onions have softened and are turning translucent. Add the tomato paste, paprika, both chilli flakes and black pepper. Cook gently on low for around 1 hour, or until the vegetables are completely softened and jammy.
2
Make the mandarin dressing: in a bowl, combine the mandarins, capers, maple syrup, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
3
Finish the romesco: once the vegetables are done, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, pressing to extract the red oil. Transfer the solids to a food processor, add the sherry vinegar and almonds, and blend until combined (a little texture is fine). Pour the reserved oil back into the mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Set aside.
4
Cook the trout: pat the fish skin dry with paper towel and season with flaky salt. Heat the remaining olive oil in a nonstick pan over high heat. Once hot, place the fish skin-side down. If using a fish weight, place it on top. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 3 minutes, depending on thickness. Flip and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other side. Turn off the heat and let the fish rest for 1 minute.
5
Assemble the salad: in a large bowl, combine the shaved fennel, fennel fronds, mint, and parsley. Pour over the mandarin dressing and toss gently.
6
Plate up: spoon a generous layer of romesco onto each plate. Place the crispy trout fillet on top, then pile the mandarin and fennel salad over the fish. Serve immediately.