Pecan-crusted speckled trout with Key lime butter

Name: Pecan-crusted speckled trout with Key lime butter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 skinless speckled trout fillets (4 to 6 oz each); ¾ cup Texas pecans, finely chopped; ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs; ½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (or 2 tbsp mayonnaise); 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp olive oil, for the pan; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp Key lime (or regular lime) juice; 1 tsp grated lime zest; 1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Texas pecans toast in the pan and give the soft fillet something to crunch against. A little cayenne in the crumb gives the nuts a bit of heat.

The Key lime butter is melted butter whisked with lime juice, zest and cilantro. Spoon it around the fish, not over the crust, so the crunch lasts.

About 25 min. Serves 4.

Ingredients

4 skinless speckled trout fillets (4 to 6 oz each)
¾ cup Texas pecans, finely chopped
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (or 2 tbsp mayonnaise)
2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp olive oil, for the pan

Key lime butter sauce

3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp Key lime (or regular lime) juice
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method

Combine the chopped pecans, panko, salt, black pepper and cayenne in a shallow dish.
Brush the top of each fillet with the egg wash (or a thin layer of mayonnaise) and press it firmly into the pecan mixture so the crust sticks.
Heat the 2 tbsp butter and the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Lay the fillets in crust side down and cook 3½ to 4 minutes, until the pecans are deeply toasted and golden.
Turn gently with a wide fish spatula and cook the plain side another 2 to 3 minutes, until opaque and tender. Move the fillets to warm plates.
In a small saucepan, melt the 3 tbsp butter and whisk in the lime juice, zest and cilantro until smooth. Spoon it lightly around the fillets.

Notes

Chop the pecans fine and press hard. Large pieces fall off when you turn the fish.
Cook fish to 145°F in the thickest part, which is the FDA’s temperature for fish. Check with a thermometer.
Speckled trout fillets are soft. Keep them cold from the water to the pan and handle them gently.
Speckled trout have size and bag limits. Check TPWD’s current rules before you keep fish.
TPWD lists consumption advisories for some Texas waters. If you caught the fish, check the advisories for that water before you cook it.

Sources: FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely (content current as of Mar. 5, 2024), TPWD: Fish Consumption Bans and Advisories.

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