Recipe: Fresh Trout Florentine

FRESH TROUT FLORENTINE

1 teaspoon safflower oil
1/4 cup minced green onions -- including tops
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 cups chopped spinach
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat bread crumbs
4 tablespoons nonfat milk
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2 1/2 pounds fresh trout (about 4 fish) -- cleaned
1 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9 by 12-inch baking pan with safflower oil.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute green onion in olive oil and sherry until soft. Add chopped spinach and pine nuts, and cook until spinach has wilted (2 minutes). Remove from heat. Add bread crumbs, milk, and lemon juice and mix well.

Wash and pat trout dry, inside and out. Stuff cavity of each trout with one fourth of the spinach mixture. Cut 4 sheets of parchment and place 1 trout on each. Set aside.

In the same skillet combine wine, pepper, and butter. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook until alcohol has evaporated (2 minutes). Pour equal amounts of wine mixture over trout and seal parchment packets. Place packets on prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes. Serve hot.

NOTES: Dishes prepared Florentine-style feature spinach -- a source of vitamin A and calcium. Here, fresh trout is split and stuffed with a savory pine nut and spinach mixture. The trout is wrapped in parchment and baked.

Makes 4 servings
Source: the California Culinary Academy