Delicate, meltingly tender whole trout gets crispy skin from a quick sear in a cast-iron skillet.
Inspired by her mother’s cooking, Karla Vasquez’s recipe celebrates this popular style of cooking fish in El Salvador. Many families use mojarra, a fish found in agua dulce (fresh water), but trout makes a great substitute. Salsa Inglesa, or Worcestershire sauce, is a frequent find in Salvadoran condiment drawers and teams up with the mustard to create a punchy, umami-packed crust.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- 4 (10- to 12-ounce) whole trout, cleaned and skin scored
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ medium-size red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- Lime wedges, rice, and salad, for serving
Directions
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Rub 1 1/2 teaspoons salt evenly over outside and inside of each fish. Stir together mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Spread evenly over outside and inside of each fish, covering completely.
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Stuff cavities of fish evenly with onion slices. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high to 350°F. Carefully place 2 fish in hot oil, and cook until skin is browned and crispy, about 4 minutes. Flip fish, and cook just until flesh is white throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining 2 fish.
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Serve fish with lime wedges, rice, and salad.
