Pan-Fried Trout with Cornbread Salad
James Carrier
Notes: Bake an 8-inch pan of cornbread from your favorite recipe or a purchased mix; let cool, then cut into cubes. Green shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are sold in natural-food stores and Latino groceries.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Spread cornbread level in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven until dry and lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Place in a large bowl. Add pumpkin seeds, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper; mix.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, tear kale leaves away from tough center stems; discard stems. Cut or tear leaves into 2-inch pieces. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add kale and cook until tender to bite, 2 to 3 minutes; drain well. When cool enough to handle, squeeze water from leaves.
Step 3
3
In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning often, until browned and crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain. Drain and discard all but 1 teaspoon fat in pan. When bacon is cool enough to handle, crumble and add to cornbread mixture in bowl.
Step 4
4
Place trout, skin side up, in pan (in batches if necessary) and cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn with a wide spatula, reduce heat to medium, and cook until fish is barely opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer trout to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Step 5
5
Add olive oil and onion to pan and stir often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes. Stir in kale, vinegar, and lemon juice. Add kale mixture to cornbread mixture and mix well.
Step 6
6
Spoon cornbread salad equally onto four plates and top each serving with a trout fillet.
Ingredients
About 5 cups cornbread cubes (1 in.; see notes)
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (see notes)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces kale, rinsed
2 slices thick-cut bacon (about 4 oz. total)
2 cleaned, boned whole trout, heads and tails removed (8 to 10 oz. each), rinsed and each cut into 2 fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Step 1
1
Spread cornbread level in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven until dry and lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Place in a large bowl. Add pumpkin seeds, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper; mix.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, tear kale leaves away from tough center stems; discard stems. Cut or tear leaves into 2-inch pieces. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add kale and cook until tender to bite, 2 to 3 minutes; drain well. When cool enough to handle, squeeze water from leaves.
Step 3
3
In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning often, until browned and crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain. Drain and discard all but 1 teaspoon fat in pan. When bacon is cool enough to handle, crumble and add to cornbread mixture in bowl.
Step 4
4
Place trout, skin side up, in pan (in batches if necessary) and cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn with a wide spatula, reduce heat to medium, and cook until fish is barely opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer trout to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Step 5
5
Add olive oil and onion to pan and stir often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes. Stir in kale, vinegar, and lemon juice. Add kale mixture to cornbread mixture and mix well.
Step 6
6
Spoon cornbread salad equally onto four plates and top each serving with a trout fillet.
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