Cooking your catch: Seared steelhead with pinot grigio cream sauce

Throughout the Northwest, the hunt is on for steelhead.

Rivers are filling up with these magnificent, elusive creatures. I have heard some anglers refer to steelhead (particularly wild steelhead) as “the fish of 2,000 casts.”

This particular steelhead recipe is for two people. It has become a classic in our home and is my wife’s favorite. The only real work lies in the sauce.

Start by reducing two cups of pinot grigio to half, then add a tablespoon of freshly minced garlic, a teaspoon each of salt, white and black pepper. Next, add 1 pint of heavy whipping cream and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. You are welcome to add more lemon juice later if that sauce doesn’t have the zing you want.

Let the cream sauce continue to reduce while you prep the rest of the meal (simmer at least one hour). 

For the rice, I chose jasmine. I took 2 cups of jasmine rice and 2 3/4 cups of cold water and set the pot (covered) to boil atop the stove. Once boiling, I let the rice simmer on the lowest setting. When it seemed most of the water had been absorbed by the rice (this usually takes 17-20 minutes on my home stove), I turned off the heat to the burner and kept the rice covered to ensure a perfect texture. I cut the filleted steelhead into approximately two 8-ounce pieces. I didn’t get fancy with spices atop the fillet – just your typical sprinkling of salt, pepper, and cayenne (maybe a little granulated garlic). I seared the fillets in vegetable oil (preheated to 350 degrees) presentation-side-down until I achieved a nice golden brown. 

Next, I flipped the fillets and placed a lid over the sauté pan and let the fish to continue to cook for about 5 minutes. I prefer my steelhead to be cooked as close to medium as possible, though others may prefer their fish flaky and well-done. Usually, once the oils and fats of the fish just start to bubble white atop the skin, that is when I consider my fish “done.” (Please note cooking time varies depending on cut and weight of fish fillet.)

After about an hour of simmering, the sauce had reached a nice, thick creamy texture. I added 4 tablespoons of capers to add to the flavor and served the fish over the rice, then ladled on the sauce.

This recipe can be made with salmon or any trout. It is also a reliable standby year-round, as wild-caught store-bought steelhead or salmon can be just as delicious.