Steelhead Trout 2 Ways: #2 Trout Florentine

The 2 portions of trout from the large fillet I bought were cooked using  the classic Florentine (florentine = with spinach) recipe below.

I served it with Mexican style rice for a complete and very filling meal.

And it looked pretty on the plate, too.

Baked Trout Florentine – serves 4

1/4 cup (75 mL) butter
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced or 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 shallot, thinly sliced or 2 tbsp finely diced whites of green onion
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
2 bunches fresh spinach, (about 1 lb/500 g total)**
1/2 tsp (2 mL) lemon zest
4 trout fillets, (about 6 oz/175 g each)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1/4 cup (60 mL) pine nuts

** I used a 10 oz (300 gm) package of frozen spinach, defrosted

Preheat the oven to 425 deg Fahrenheit (220 deg C).

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan just until they get lightly browned. (If you forget, as I did, put the baking dish under the broiler for a few minutes but be careful not to burn the nuts.)

In a small skillet, cook butter over medium heat until it just starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

Stir in garlic and shallot; cook just until tender, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice. Pour half into a 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish.

If using fresh spinach: Rinse and shake off water. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat; cook spinach, in batches and stirring often, just until wilted. Transfer to colander; let cool enough to handle.

Continue from here if using frozen spinach: Press out the liquid then coarsely chop the spinach.

Toss with lemon zest. Arrange over butter mixture.

Arrange the trout over the spinach in the baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top.

Roast in preheated oven until fish flakes easily when tested with fork, about 8 minutes.

Serve with rice, couscous or whatever starch you prefer.

Advertisement