Ecuadorian FoodTrout in Creamy Corn and Basil Sauce with Golden Yuca Cakes
An original Ecuadorian dish featuring seared trout fillets with a silky sauce of sweet corn, onion, garlic, cream, and fresh basil, served with crispy yuca and cheese cakes. It brings together Andean staples and garden flavors in a homemade, elegant, and comforting preparation.
Ingredients
- 4 filetes (aprox. 680 g / 24 oz en total) 680 g trout fillets (without espinas, with or skinless)
- 30 ml 30 ml lemon juice (for sazonar the trucha)
- 4 dientes 12 g garlic (2 cloves for the trucha and 2 for the sauce, chopped)
- 2 g 2 g ground cumin (divided)
- 30 ml 30 ml annatto oil (divided)
- 8 g 8 g salt (or to taste, divided)
- 2 g 2 g black pepper (divided)
- 700 g 700 g peeled yuca (en trozos)
- 120 g 120 g crumbled fresh cheese (for the tortitas)
- 1 unidad 1 unit egg (beaten)
- 180 g 180 g red or white onion (finely chopped, divided)
- 300 g 300 g fresh corn kernels (divided)
- 240 ml 240 ml milk (for the sauce)
- 120 ml 120 ml heavy cream (for the sauce)
- 12 g 12 g fresh basil (leaves chopped)
- 20 g 20 g butter (for the sauce)
- 30 g 30 g fine cornmeal (for dar cuerpo a the tortitas)
- 45 ml 45 ml vegetable oil (for dorar the tortitas and the trucha)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Place the trout fillets in a dish and season them with the lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Let them rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- 2
2. Put the yuca in a pot with enough water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender. Drain, remove the fibrous core if present, and mash while still hot until you get a thick purée.
- 3
3. Mix the mashed yuca with the fresh cheese, beaten egg, fine cornmeal, and 60 g of the chopped onion. Shape into 8 compact cakes with lightly moistened hands.
- 4
4. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden. Keep warm.
- 5
5. For the sauce, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon annatto oil in a saucepan. Add the remaining chopped onion and the remaining 2 garlic cloves. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is soft.
- 6
6. Add 200 g of the corn, the remaining cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the milk and heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the corn is tender.
- 7
7. Carefully blend the sauce mixture until creamy. Return the sauce to the saucepan, add the remaining 100 g corn and the chopped fresh basil, and cook 2 minutes more. Adjust salt if needed and keep warm over very low heat.
- 8
8. Preheat the oven to 120 °C / 250 °F to keep the finished dish warm if desired.
- 9
9. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon annatto oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the trout fillets for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, until golden and just cooked through in the center.
- 10
10. Serve each plate with a layer of creamy corn and basil sauce, place a trout fillet on top, and add 2 golden yuca cakes on the side. Serve immediately.
Chef tips
If the yuca mixture feels too wet, add 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of cornmeal so the cakes hold their shape better. Do not overcook the trout to keep it moist and tender.
Substitutions
You can substitute trout with tilapia or sea bass. Fresh cheese can be replaced with low-salt mozzarella or farmer cheese. If you do not have basil, use cilantro for a more rustic local flavor.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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