This lightly cooked trout with green asparagus works perfectly in spring, when you want a fresh but not cold dish, elegant yet feasible on an evening when you don’t want to spend three hours in the kitchen. I also see it for a weekend lunch: few steps, but a clean result on the plate.

Ingredients :
- Trout fillet — It’s the heart of the dish, so you need a thick, even fillet to get a true lightly cooked result. Ask for very fresh fish, with no strong odor, firm and shiny flesh; if the fillets are too thin, reduce cooking by a few minutes.
- Green asparagus — They bring crunch, slight bitterness, and a clear color to the plate. Choose thin ones for quick cooking and a more delicate texture; out of season, very thin green beans can work as a substitute.
- Salted butter — It provides the fat, roundness, and enveloping quality of the beurre blanc. Use good quality butter, not too watery, and add it off the heat to avoid a sauce that splits.
- Vegetable broth — It replaces the alcohol base while adding depth to the sauce. Use a clear, lightly salted broth; otherwise, the salted butter and white soy sauce will make everything too salty.


