Pan Fried Trout with Summer VegetablesThis recipe is wonderful on a summer night. It doesn't take long to prepare but will appear like you spent a lot of time on it. When I have friends over for dinner on a busy weeknight, I prepare this and usually get a lot of "ooh's" because it's so colorful and fresh-looking. This is one of my go-to dishes when I want to make something special but don't have a lot of time.
Use two skillets to cook this quickly, or cook it in two batches, keeping the first batch in a warm oven until ready to serve.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 8-ounce fresh whole brook or rainbow trout, cleaned and boned with heads and tails intact
12 fresh basil leaves plus 6 thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, divided
12 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced, divided
5 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped, divided
2 medium zucchinis, trimmed and chopped, divided
1 cup frozen petite yellow corn kernels, divided
Rinse and thoroughly dry the trout inside and out with paper towels. Fill each trout cavity with 3 fresh basil leaves and 3 sprigs Italian parsley. Using kitchen twine, tie each trout cavity closed. Season each trout with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 2 large skillets each over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add half the garlic to each skillet and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oil and discard.
Place 2 trout in each skillet and cook until brown and slightly crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to low and add about half the vegetables and half the thinly sliced basil leaves to each skillet; simmer until the vegetables are cooked but still firm and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked fish and vegetables to a platter and serve immediately.
To watch me cook this dish, see this quick video from Good Bite
