TROUT WITH ALMONDS, JALAPENOS, AND GREEN BEANS

Thursday, September 9, 2010

adapted from Rick Bayless

Serves 4-6

Trout is a mild fish that is easy to find and easy to cook. It is usually sold with the top and bottom halves/fillets still attached like a book. You can stuff and then cook the trout closed-book, but it is also lovely sauteed or grilled with a little butter or olive oil opened-book. Either way, cooking trout is S-I-M-P-L-E. It is good sauteed plain and then sauced with a little something like pico de gallo or, in this case, a flavorful mixture of almonds, jalapenos, and tender green beans.

This recipe is an opened-book affair. If you precook the green beans, it will only take a few minutes to saute the trout and serve it. The fillets are seasoned with a little salt and pepper and then sauteed on both sides in olive oil. That’s it. Your base is plain sauteed trout. Your flavor comes from the vegetable mixture that you lay on top of the fish. Sauteed and steamed green beans, jalapeno, and almonds flavored with cilantro and lime juice add a layer of crunch, heat, and richness. Eaten together, this is a fresh and vibrant dish – basic food with a little something exciting thrown in.

Note: Remember: Trout is a mild fish. Most children can be trained to like it if they don’t already. Be sure to let them know that they are supposed to peel the meat from the skin before they eat it. You also might want to serve their green beans without jalapenos. Use your own judgment. In my house, the green beans cannot be touching the fish. That’s okay too. The point is to make them try everything. If they don’t like it, that’s okay. They can eat from the 3 BOWLS.

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 Trout fillets, boneless (they weigh about 6 oz each), separate the two halves with a sharp knife if they are still connected

salt and pepper

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2/3 cup chicken broth

4 cups green beans, preferably French haricots verts, washed and trimmed

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup almonds, lightly toasted and then finely chopped

2/3 cup cilantro, chopped

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

SAUTE THE TROUT: Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. In a large skillet, heat oil over MEDIUM HIGH. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, lay fillets skin side up and cook until golden underneath, about 2-3 minutes. Note: do not overcrowd the pan or the fish will steam instead of brown. If necessary, cook the fillets in batches. Turn fish over and cook until the meat separates from the skin, about 1 more minute. Transfer the fish, skin side down, to oven proof dinner plates and then place in oven to keep warm.

2. COOK GREEN BEAN MIXTURE: Reduce temperature of skillet to MEDIUM. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, just a few seconds. (Do not burn the garlic.) Pour broth into skillet; add 1/2 tsp salt and the green beans. COVER the skillet and cook until beans are tender but crisp, about 4-6 minutes. Add the jalapeno and then increase the heat to HIGH to reduce the broth, about 1 or 2 minutes. Add almonds, cilantro and lime juice and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.