Print Portuguese Trout Wrapped in Smoked Ham

Two fillet of Portuguese trout wrapped in ham then cooked, on the side slices of peaches on a plate

Adapted from Elisabeth Luard | The Food of Spain and Portugal | Kyle Books, 2005

Wrapped in a deep red jacket of presunto and fried in bacon drippings, this is trout as they like it in the royal city of Bragança, seat of Portugal’s monarchs. The smoky richness of the ham and golden fat makes this one of the most delicious ways of preparing delicate river fish.–Elisabeth Luard

Note

Smoked ham will do at a pinch if you can’t find Portuguese presunto; but you do need the smokiness for authenticity.

Portuguese Trout Wrapped in Smoked Ham

Quick Glance
Quick Glance
30 M
30 M
Serves 4

Print Recipe

Buy the The Food of Spain and Portugal cookbook

Want it? Click it.

Ingredients

4 fine fat trout, gutted, heads left on
4 thin slices of lean presunto (smoked salt-cured ham)
2 thick slices of bacon, with plenty of fat, chopped small
For serving
Waxy golden potatoes, plain-boiled with or without their skins (optional)

Directions

Wrap the trout carefully in their ruby-red jackets and set aside.

Heat the diced bacon in a heavy pan and fry gently until it yields up all its fat. Remove and reserve the crisp little scraps of crackling.

Fry the trout gently in the drippings: allow about 10 minutes, turning the fish over once to brown the other side. It’s done when the flesh feels firm to the finger.

Serve, if desired, with plain-boiled potatoes dressed with the reserved bits of crackling and the pan drippings.

Print Recipe

Want it? Click it.

Show Nutrition

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.