Panfried Trout with Warm Corn Bread Salad
For this whole-grain take on bread salad, use a combination of red, yellow and zebra heirloom tomatoes, if you can find them. Some markets sell prepared corn bread, or you can bake a 9-inch square of corn bread from scratch.
Ingredients
- 5 cups corn bread cubes (1-inch cubes)
- 3 to 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 lb. ripe heirloom tomatoes
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 4 trout fillets with skin
- 6 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Spread the corn bread cubes on a large baking sheet. Bake until dry and lightly toasted, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, the vinegar, the 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grindings of pepper to make a dressing. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and gently remove the seeds with your fingers. Chop into 1-inch pieces and add to the dressing along with the onion. Let the tomatoes marinate while you cook the trout.
Season the trout lightly with salt and pepper. In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, place the trout, skin side up, in the pan and cook until the fish is browned underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn the fish over, reduce the heat and cook until the fish is barely opaque in the center, 2 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the trout to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, combine the tomato mixture, parsley and corn bread and stir gently. Divide the corn bread salad among individual plates and top each with a trout fillet. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Eat Well, by Charity Ferreira (Oxmoor House, 2008).