Rainbow trout fillet ideas?

[legend_018]

any ideas on how to cook 1/2 lb of rainbow trout fillet with the skin on?
Also, would like to somehow incorporate cooking garden zucchini with it at the same time if I can. It's a pretty skinny fish. I'll probably serve instant mashed on the side as I need to use it up.

 

[GotGarlic]

I like to marinate zucchini in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, S&P for about an hour, then grill. You could marinate the fish along with it and grill them together. HTH.

 

[legend_018]

We need to buy a new grill so I'll have to do it in the oven. Just afraid the fish wont' take long to cook and than the zucchini will need more time. Also, wondering about how long it might take to cook the fish on say 350 or something like that.

 

[ChefJune]

My favorite way to cook rainbow trout (or trout in general) is sauteed with a cornmeal crust. I'd probably do the zucchini in a separate pan with some garlic and olive oil.

 

[pacanis]

I've only cooked whole trout, but I always sprinkled it inside and out with lemon pepper and brushed it with butter. Then grilled it on a SS screen set on the grate. Good stuff.

 

[GotGarlic]

We need to buy a new grill so I'll have to do it in the oven. Just afraid the fish wont' take long to cook and than the zucchini will need more time. Also, wondering about how long it might take to cook the fish on say 350 or something like that.

The rule of thumb for fish is 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

You could cut the zucchini into planks (long slices) and it would cook faster, although it really doesn't take very long, since it's so tender already. I like it firm, not too soft.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Half a pound of Rainbow Trout filet is a fairly meagre amount of fish. I assume you're making it just for yourself?

It's a very thin piece of fish, so I'd place it, along with your sliced zucchini, on a well-oiled broiler pan, season both liberally with your favorite Italian dressing & maybe some grated parmesan cheese, & broil for about 4-5 minutes tops. If you prefer to bake it at, as you said, just 350, I'd allow 15 minutes or so.

 

[TATTRAT]

This does not include the zuccs, but it is my favorite way of preparing the fish:

Cornmeal crusted, fan seared, stuffed with wilted spinach with toasted garlic and pine nuts, and drizzled with browned butter. serve with roasted fingerling potatoes...or heck, maybe some zucchini!

 

[Jeekinz]

I just did some whole trout the other night. I seasoned them with salt, pepper and Old Bay then lined the inside with thinly sliced lemon. Fried in a non-stick pan with olive oil and butter until the skin was crispy.

For the zuchini I would fry them with panko crust or quick saute.

 

[kadesma]

My dad and I use to fish for rainbow's every chance we could get..But it was a long drive to Nevada our favorite spot to hike...So after catching and cleaning our limits...our dinner was first dredged in flour that had salt and pepper in it then dipped in egg,back in flour and then into a hot skillet with dear how do I say it, either bacon grease or lard..along side were home fries with some green onions mixed in, eggs either fried or scrambled. toast and jam, black coffee for my folks and milk for my sister..me I had coffee and juice..
So anytime I see or hear rainbow trout, I remember breakfast and sometimes dinner with my folks. in a cabin with a wood fire going...

kadesma

 

[BreezyCooking]

Uh, guys - the OP was looking for trout FILET help. While I too have many recipes for whole trout, does anyone have any ideas that really address the original question?

I too frequently have access to really nice fresh boneless trout filets & would be interested in recipes for them other than my usual way of fixing them.

 

[Jeekinz]

For mine, since the fish is so small, you could just cook it skin side down in a skillet and lay the lemon on top. Baste with some of the butter and serve.

 

[AllenOK]

For the OP:

I can only think of two ways to prepare trout fillets like that.

#1 Dust with flour, and pan-fry.
#2 Season with seasonings of choice. Preheat a cast iron skillet AND your broiler. Add a little fat to the skillet, and lay the fillet, skin-side down, into the pan. Immediately place the pan under the broiler for 5 minutes or so, until the fish is cooked.

Either way it's prepared, you can't go wrong with a compound butter made with some minced shallots, minced garlic, lemon juice and/or zest, and some dill. Place some of the butter on top of the fish after it's cooked.

At work, I make a great sauteed zucchini side dish. I start by preheating the saute pan. While that heats, I slice a zucc' in half, then cut into pieces, on a bias. Then, I add some clarified butter to the saute pan, along with some julienned shallots and minced garlic. Toss in the zucc's, and some salt and pepper. Shake and toss the pan for a couple minutes, just until the garlic becomes very fragrant and just starts to caramelize. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine, and set aside (I actually put the whole pan under a heat lamp to finish cooking gently). A little minced fresh thyme and/or rosemary really adds a special touch to this.

For the folks with whole, boneless, butterflied trout:

Make a stuffing of some sort. Shrimp, crab, lobster, or a mixture. Once the stuffing is cool enough to handle, layer some of the mixture onto ONE HALF on the trout. Preheat both the broiler, and an oven-proof pan (cast iron is great). Dredge the trout in seasoned flour, skin side only (a pie pan works great). Add some oil to the skillet, and place the trout, skin-side down, in the pan. Cook for a few minutes, until it begins to brown. CAREFULLY use a spatula to fold the bare half over the stuffing, along the spine. You might want to hold it together with a toothpick. Place the pan under the broiler and cook until the stuffing reaches 180 degrees F.

If you really want to ramp it, make some kind of cream-based sauce with some shellfish in it, and plate the dish by ladling some of the sauce onto the plate, laying the trout on top of the sauce, then drizzle just a bit of sauce over the fish.