Smoked Trout And Zucchini Fritters Recipe

Smoked trout is an often overlooked ingredient in the culinary world, especially in comparison to its much-loved cousin, smoked salmon — and we think it's time to change things up. Absolutely delicious and full of nutrients, if you're looking to include more fish in your diet (and a number of scientific bodies recommend that you do), there are many ways to incorporate this often under-utilized protein into different meals. Smoked trout makes a wonderful pairing with a variety of ingredients and adds a great depth of flavor to soups and fish stews.

In this delicious smoked trout and zucchini fritter dish, recipe developer Jennine Rye celebrates the salty, smoky-rich taste of smoked trout and pairs it with grated zucchini and fresh herbs in a light fritter, topped with a zingy lemon and dill yogurt. This is a flavorful, nourishing, and surprisingly filling dish that can be served any time of day.  It's easy to make and delightful to eat, so why not add this top-tier recipe to your repertoire? 

To make this recipe for smoked trout and zucchini fritters, first you will need to gather the ingredients. Definitely get your hands on some smoked trout; for this recipe, it might be worth the trip to a fishmonger to find some good-quality, responsibly sourced trout. You will also need zucchini, eggs, chives and dill, some yogurt (a dairy-free alternative will be fine too), lemon, flour, baking powder, and sumac, as well as kitchen cupboard staples including cooking oil, salt, and pepper. 

Since zucchini contains a lot of water, you'll want to start out with what seems like way too much of the veggie for 2 people. To avoid soggy cooked zucchini, you'll want to remove some of the liquid from this versatile veggie before mixing your batter. To do this, grate the zucchini with a cheese grater, and then leave it in a colander mixed with a little salt, which will help draw out the moisture. After 30 minutes to an hour, gently squeeze the grated zucchini with your hands to remove as much water as possible. This is the most time-consuming element of the recipe, but it is more than worth it for the crispy results.

With the zucchini grated and drained, it's time to mix up the lemon dill yogurt. Chop up 1 tablespoon of fresh dill and add it to your plain yogurt. Then, squeeze the juice from ½ a lemon into the mix, being careful to pick out any seeds that may have fallen in. Add a generous sprinkling of sumac, and then give it all a good mix. The lemon dill yoghurt is ready and can be covered and stored in the fridge until ready for use. 

Now it's time to whip up the fritter batter. Add your flour (a gluten-free flour alternative will work just as well if needed) to a large bowl and mix in the baking powder with a balloon whisk. Then add in the grated and drained zucchini and mix it all together so the zucchini is well coated in the flour mixture. Add to this the whisked eggs, fresh chives and remaining dill, and about ¾ of the smoked trout, reserving the remainder of the fish for serving on top of the fritters. Finally, season the mixture well with salt and pepper to taste, and then use a fork or a spoon to thoroughly mix the batter. 

When you are ready to fry the fritters, heat up a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add a generous splash of your chosen cooking oil to the skillet, followed by heaped tablespoons of the zucchini batter to create individual fritters. Fry them for a few minutes on each side until they are beautifully crisp and golden. It's best to cook the fritters in a few batches; you don't want to overcrowd the frying pan, or they won't get nice and golden. 

If you need to store your cooked fritters for more than a few minutes, put them in a baking dish in a not-too-hot oven while you finish cooking the rest. This will ensure they are nice and warm when served up. 

When all are fritters are done, plate them up and drizzle with the lemon dill yogurt, then finish them off with a little extra smoked trout and serve straight away. Because of its lightness, this recipe goes very nicely with a simple salad. Any leftover fritters can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.