This dish features not one, but TWO blue foods—trout and seaweed.
For my dinner, I sourced these ingredients from a couple of terrific companies: Riverence and Lofoten Seaweed.
Riverence responsibly raises gorgeous, delicious Steelhead Trout alongside Idaho’s Snake River in pure spring water. Their fish is a Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Best Choice that is not genetically engineered, doesn’t use growth hormones or antibiotics, has no bycatch or escapes, no microplastics, is 100% traceable, and high in Omega-3s.
While on a recent trip to Norway, I discovered Lofoten Seaweed—their salts and seasonings are incredible. Not only that, the company was co-founded by two women who are passionate about wild-harvesting seaweed in a way that is sustainable for the local ecosystem.
So without further ado, here’s my recipe for Seaweed-Crusted Steelhead Trout—served with fresh sliced and seared squash and a salad of arugula, fresh figs, and goat cheese.
- 4 6-ounce pieces of Steelhead Trout, skin-on
- 1 tbsp seaweed salt (I used Lofoten Seaweed Seasoning, but you can use any seaweed seasoning like Ocean’s Balance—or even make your own!)
- 4 patties pan squash, sliced
- 4 cups baby arugula
- 8 black mission figs
- 2 ounces marinated goat cheese (I used Laurel Chenel)
- 2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Heat a griddle or sauté pan to high heat. Sprinkle the seaweed salt on all sides of the trout.
Add a small amount of olive oil to the griddle. To test if the griddle is hot enough for the fish, do the slide test: slide the meat side of a fillet onto the pan. If it doesn’t stick, add the fillets skin side down.
Brown the skin until golden, about three minutes. Cook the meat side another three minutes. Add the squash (if you have room to cook) for three minutes or until brown on both sides. At this point, the trout will be done medium (or slightly pink in the center). Turn the heat off and allow the fillets to rest on the heat if you desire more doneness or on a plate while you make the salad.
Place the arugula, figs, and goat cheese in a medium bowl. Season with freshly ground pepper. In a small bowl, add the vinegar and mustard. In a thin stream, add the olive oil, whisking to thicken. Pour enough over the salad to coat.
Serve the trout, salad and squash in a shallow bowl garnished with seaweed!
