Name: Oven-Roasted Trout with Megrelian Ajika (მეგრული აჯიკიანი კერძი)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 43 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 600 g skin-on rainbow trout fillets, four pieces of about 150 g each, thawed if frozen and patted dry; 15 g Megrelian ajika paste, or less to taste; 15 ml neutral sunflower oil; 10 ml fresh lemon juice; 5 g garlic, finely grated; 2 g ground coriander; 0.5 g ground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), optional; 0.5 g freshly ground black pepper; 1 g fine salt, or less if the ajika is salty; 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 5 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped; 60 g lemon wedges

Wide table view of ajika-roasted trout served with mchadi and green salad.

Yield4 portions

Serving basisOne trout fillet with its share of ajika rub and herbs

DifficultyEasy; dry the fish and check the thickest part with a thermometer

Dietary classificationPescatarian; gluten-free if the ajika label confirms it

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The dish

About Oven-Roasted Trout with Megrelian Ajika (მეგრული აჯიკიანი კერძი)

Samegrelo is associated with Megrelian ajika, a pepper-based seasoning used in fish cooking as well as meat and vegetable dishes. This measured home recipe pairs that seasoning with oven-roasted trout; it does not claim that trout with this exact rub is a canonical Senaki specialty.

Rainbow trout has mild flesh and a thin skin that roasts quickly. Patting the fillets dry helps the skin roast instead of steam. A small amount of ajika is mixed with oil, lemon, garlic and Georgian spices so it coats the fish in a thin layer without masking its flavour. Ajika varies in heat and salt, so check the jar and reduce the added salt when needed.

Roasting time depends on fillet thickness and starting temperature. Use the visual cues to judge texture, but confirm food safety with a clean thermometer in the thickest part. At 63 °C the fish should be opaque and separate into moist flakes. A brief rest lets the juices settle before the fillets are served.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Trout

600 gskin-on rainbow trout fillets, four pieces of about 150 g each, thawed if frozen and patted dry
15 gMegrelian ajika paste, or less to taste
15 mlneutral sunflower oil
10 mlfresh lemon juice
5 ggarlic, finely grated
2 gground coriander
0.5 gground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), optional
0.5 gfreshly ground black pepper
1 gfine salt, or less if the ajika is salty

To finish

10 gfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
5 gfresh parsley, roughly chopped
60 glemon wedges

Method

Heat the oven and prepare the fish. Heat the oven to 220 °C. Line a rimmed tray with baking paper. Check the trout for pin bones, remove any with clean tweezers, then pat the fillets dry. Keep the raw fish and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Mix and apply the ajika rub. In a small bowl, combine the ajika, sunflower oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, optional blue fenugreek, black pepper and salt. Taste a tiny amount of the paste first; reduce or omit the salt if it is already salty. Spread a thin, even coating over the flesh side of each fillet. Arrange skin-side up on the tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Roast to temperature. Roast for 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. Insert a clean instant-read thermometer sideways into the thickest part of each piece; remove the fish when it reaches 63 °C. The flesh should be opaque and separate into moist flakes, but these visual cues do not replace the thermometer check.
Rest and serve. Rest the fillets for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and parsley and serve with lemon wedges, mchadi or ghomi.

Excerpt

Skin-on rainbow trout fillets are rubbed with Megrelian ajika, coriander, garlic and lemon, then roasted until just cooked. Serve warm with herbs and lemon.

Practical guidance

Success points

Refrigerate the seasoned fish for 10 minutes; do not leave raw trout at room temperature.
Place the fillets skin-side up and leave space between them for even roasting.
Check the thickest part of each fillet and cook to 63 °C.
Use less salt if the ajika is already salty; offer more paste at the table instead.

Practical guidance

If the fillets vary in thickness, check each piece separately and remove thinner pieces as soon as they reach 63 °C.
For a milder result, use 8–10 g ajika and serve extra separately. Avoid brushing raw marinade onto cooked fish; reserve a clean portion before it touches the raw trout if you want extra sauce.
Raw trout should stay refrigerated at 4 °C or colder and be cooked within 1–2 days of purchase, or frozen. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours, keep at 4 °C or colder, and use within 3–4 days.
Reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout; a thermometer should read 74 °C. The fish is best freshly roasted because reheating can dry it.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: One-quarter of the recipe
Calories: About 250 kcal
Carbohydrate: About 1 g
Protein: About 30 g
Fat: About 13 g
Dietary fibre: 0 g
Sodium: About 350 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains fish. Check the ajika label for additional allergens and cross-contact statements. Keep raw fish refrigerated, wash hands and clean surfaces after handling it, and use separate utensils for cooked food. Cook each fillet to 63 °C at its thickest point. Do not leave cooked fish at room temperature for more than 2 hours; cool leftovers promptly and store them at 4 °C or below.

To finish

Serve with mchadi or ghomi and lemon wedges for a simple Georgian-style plate.
Add tkemali or extra ajika at the table if desired; keep sauces separate from the raw-fish utensils.

About Oven-Roasted Trout with Megrelian Ajika (მეგრული აჯიკიანი კერძი)

Ingredients

Trout

To finish

Method

Excerpt

Success points

Practical guidance

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

To finish

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