Baked Lemon & Rosemary Rainbow Trout

Last night, we wanted to have fish and the plan was to grill it. The plan was to pick a couple fillets up at the grocery store, let the coals heat up while we each did a quick workout, and then grill those babies. Oh, and given how hot and humid it was, we wanted a side dish that would keep things cool--like a fresh salad (check it out Brent's creation: Fresh Rainbow Pepper Salad).

Well, we forgot to buy coals (just a couple nights ago, we forgot to put the grill and coals back into the shed after dinner... and then it rained...). We were too tired to go back to the store--Isn't it disappointing how the weeks shortened by holidays can sometimes feel like the longest ones?--so we decided to bake our trout. Oh, yes, we bought rainbow trout. I forgot to mention that detail, but you already knew that from reading the title of this post. :)

So, anyways, we looked for some basic recipes, took the ideas and came up with this little number. It was quite yummy. We hope you like it as much as we did!

Baked Lemon & Rosemary Rainbow Trout


Ingredients

• 2 Rainbow Trout (approx. 1.5 lbs each), cleaned
• Half of a lemon, sliced in rounds as thinly as possible
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (just enough to brush both sides of each fish)

Method

1. Rinse the fish and pat dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
3. Line a large baking pan with tin foil and then place a baking rack inside (so that it rests on top of the foil). The foil isn't required, but it will make clean up a LOT easier. :)
4. Open up each fish so the flesh is exposed.
5. Sprinkle the flesh of both fish with salt and pepper.
6. Lay out the slices of lemon on one side of the each fish's flesh.
7. Lay one spring of rosemary inside each fish and then close both by folding one flap of flesh and skin down over the other.
8. Brush the outside of both fish with olive oil until well coated (this will help prevent the skin from sticking to the baking rack).
9. Lay the fish side by side on the baking rack in the pan.
10. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the flesh of the fish is milky, white and somewhat flakey. (FYI: We learned last night that Trout doesn't flake quite as much as Salmon, so we don't think flakiness is the best guide for knowing when the fish is done.)
11. Plate each trout over a generous helping of Fresh Rainbow Pepper Salad (or by itself with the salad on the side or even over any kind of greens/salad you like), and enjoy.

The fish was perfect. A little milky and soft in texture, with a fresh tang of lemon and the slightest hint of savory rosemary.

Oh, and we were so eager to eat, we completely forgot to take "before" and "during" pictures. So, all I have is this [hopefully] appetizing "after" picture.

Yes, by "after" I meant, "after eating," haha. Sorry!



P.S. You may have already realized, "Ha! Their dinner was full of rainbows." And you have even wondered, "Did they intent to do that?" Answer: No. But, indeed, I realized soon after we started eating and I began formulating these posts in my head that yes, there's an odd appropriateness or simple weirdness, depending on your perspective. Take it as you will. We had a rough (albeit short) week, and maybe fate or karma or whatever decided we simply needed a few rainbows to cheer us up last night. :)