| Rainbow trout have a fascinating life story. You | | | | minutes; turn the fish over and cook 6 or 7 |
| don't need to know it to enjoy cooking and eating | | | | minutes on the other side. |
| this tender-fleshed fish, but I find that brushing up | | | | 3. Carefully remove fish (still in foil) from the coals; |
| on my food facts makes me feel more | | | | you may need tongs to do this safely. Let cool |
| connected with the things that I put in my body | | | | for a few moments. |
| and that sustain me and give me pleasure. | | | | 4. Open foil, season with salt and pepper to taste, |
| Rainbow trout are actually a type of Pacific | | | | and enjoy. |
| salmon. Their native home is the rivers that feed | | | | Note: You can eat around the bones, but a better |
| into the northern Pacific Ocean in both Asia and | | | | approach is to remove them entirely before |
| North America, but they have been introduced to | | | | digging in. Using a fork, just pull the the fish's back |
| countries throughout the world. They are one of | | | | meat in one direction and the belly meat in the |
| the fish species that are widely farmed today as | | | | other, and you can remove the bones in one |
| a relatively cheap protein source for much of the | | | | piece. |
| world's population. | | | | Filled Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout |
| Some people know rainbow trout as "redband | | | | Ingredients |
| trout." Interestingly, the same fish has an entirely | | | | 4 cleaned and scaled whole trout |
| different name--steelhead--when found in the | | | | 1 cup pine nuts, ground finely or almost to |
| ocean, or when it returns from the sea for | | | | powder |
| spawning. The steelhead form looks quite | | | | 1/4 cup raisins |
| different from the rainbow or redband form, too, | | | | 1/2 cup finely chopped prunes |
| most significantly in that it loses its distinctive red | | | | 1/4 cup white wine |
| bed along its sides. | | | | 2 cups fresh bread crumbs |
| Like other salmon, rainbow trout are good | | | | Salt |
| nutrition-wise. They are rich in omega three fatty | | | | Coarsely ground black pepper |
| acids, which have been shown to lower | | | | 2 teaspoons chopped parsley or parsley flakes |
| cholesterol levels. Omega three fatty acids have | | | | 1 tablespoon olive oil |
| more recently been shown to help combat | | | | Directions |
| depression in people. Rainbow trout also have low | | | | 1. Mix pine nuts, raisins, prunes, bread crumbs and |
| fat but high levels of protein, vitamin A, vitamin D | | | | wine together. |
| and various minerals. | | | | 2. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in |
| | | | parsley. |
| Easy Charcoal-Cooked Rainbow Trout | | | | 3. Press mixture into the cavity of each fish. Hold |
| You can do this in a charcoal grill or on the hot | | | | fish and mixture together with toothpicks. |
| coals of a campfire! | | | | 4. Heat olive oil in skillet. Fry fish in hot oil for 4 |
| 1. Rinse whole (cleaned) fish in cold water. Stuff | | | | minutes per side. |
| with onion slices and lemon wedges. | | | | 5. Remove trout to a plate lined with paper towel. |
| 2. Wrap fish in aluminum foil. Lay the foil-wrapped | | | | Allow excess oil to drain off. Transfer fish to |
| fish directly on hot charcoal or hot coals. Cook 7 | | | | serving plates. |