Sauerkraut—or crauti, as it’s called in northern Italy—adds a great sour flavor to this fish dish. This fermented cabbage is a both a prebiotic (feeds the good gut bacteria) and a probiotic (carries good bacteria). In this recipe, we load the sauerkraut into a whole steelhead trout (great for those omega-3s!), but you can substitute another fish or serve the kraut on top of a fillet if a whole fish is unavailable. If using a whole fish, ask your fishmonger to butterfly it and remove the bones for you. This recipe is for a crowd, but it is also great for a smaller group; just use less fish.
2 cups (12 ounces) refrigerated sauerkraut, drained
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 carrots (6 ounces), peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces, then ¼-inch matchsticks
¾ cup shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ to 2 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 boned and butterflied steelhead trout with heads (8 to 9 ounces each) or six steelhead trout fillets (7 to 7½ ounces each), with skin
roasted Steelhead with krauti aka Sauertrout
1. Place the sauerkraut in a large sieve. Rinse well with cold water. Place over a bowl; let drain.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet on medium-low. Add the carrots, shallots, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 18 minutes. Mix the sauerkraut with tarragon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Let the crauti cool if using to stuff the trout. Keep crauti warm if using to top the fillets.
3. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If using whole trout, open the fish like a book. Season the insides each with ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spoon ½ cup crauti along one side of each fish. Fold the opposite side over the stuffing to enclose. Wrap kitchen twine around the fish, or skewer it closed with small pins like turkey lacers. Brush the fish all over with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Arrange the fish on the baking sheet, spaced evenly apart. Roast the fish until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. If using trout fillets, brush the fish with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Season with ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange the fillets on the baking sheet. Roast until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the fillets to plates; top each fillet with ½ cup warm crauti.
TIP: Whole fish are great cooked on the grill. To make it easy to flip, use a fish basket and don’t snap it shut.