panfried trout with spinach

holy healthy dinner batman!!  i'm not sure my body knows how to handle something this good after all the junk i've been eating lately, but our dinner tonight was too good not to share.

james and i were given two fresh trout yesterday (fresh like they were still swimming yesterday.  yum!) but i didn't really have any idea what to do with it.  so i did a little research and found a recipe that didn't look too difficult and... amazing!  i want to send james out ice fishing just so we can make this again and again!  and someday, when we have a garden and can grow our own spinach, we'll be laughing all the way to the dinner table!  i'm so glad i now know a quick and easy way to cook this yummy fish.


Panfried Trout with Spinach
prep time:  20 mins  cook time: 30 mins
source:  epicurious.com

1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 8oz trout fillets - skin on or off, doesn't matter
3 tbsp olive oil - more if you skip the butter below
1 1/4 lb baby spinach - i used two of the jumbo plastic tubs, about 600g
1/4 cup unsalted butter - you can fry it in olive oil if you prefer.  i might try the butter next time.
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced - in reading the comments on the website, this sounded like a great addition.

to toast pine nuts:  preheat oven to 350.  spread the pine nuts in a shallow baking dish and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

put cornmeal on a large plate.  lightly pat fish with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, then coat both sides with cornmeal.

heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  here's where you add the garlic - add about a third and saute to flavour the oil.  saute one third of the spinach, stirring constantly, until slightly wilted but still bright green - about 30 seconds.  transfer cooked spinach to a bowl and continue sauteing spinach in batches until done.  season with salt (or not).


wipe skillet with a paper towel and then heat 2 tbsp butter until melted.  saute two fillets, skin side down first, over medium heat.  turn once and cook until golden brown and just cooked through (fish flakes easily).  repeat with remaining butter and fillets.

divide spinach among plates and top with pine nuts and fish, then drizzle with leftover browned butter from pan.


we cooked up a cup of brown rice as well and served the spinach and fish on top.  it was divine.  easy to make, tasty to eat, pretty to look at, and mind-blowingly healthy.  i had no idea trout was high in omega-3 fatty acids (just like salmon), not to mention iron and protein.  and you can't beat all the calcium, iron, and vitamin c in spinach.  the pine nuts were super tasty too.

finally!  eating well again feels great!

ps: sorry my pictures kinda suck.  the flash died on our camera...