Citrus Marinated Ruby Trout with Grape Tomato Concassé and Goat’s Milk Feta
Bright with a citrus marinade, colorful fish, veggies and rich feta cheese, this standout meal is sure to brighten a bleary winter’s day. It always bothers me to throw away marinade, so I especially love how this recipe gives it a second life by pouring it over the fish and vegetables. It’s ok to do because it gets a good cooking along with the fish and zips up the flavor of the vegetables as they continue to cook and steam in their very own sauce. It’s a smart and easy way to coax more flavor out of your skillet.
It’s that easy: Feta cheese is usually made with sheep’s milk with a little bit (30%) of goat’s milk blended in. For the record, full-on goat’s milk feta is creamier than the sheep’s milk versions and slightly less tangy. Look for it in Heinen’s Specialty Cheese Department.
Citrus Marinated Ruby Trout with Grape Tomato Concassé and Goat’s Milk Feta
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced
- 1/2 orange, zested
- 3 Tbsp. orange juice
- 1/2 lemon, zested
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. salt, divided, plus more
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 12 to 16 oz. ruby trout filets
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1- 8-in. zucchini, trimmed quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/3 cup goat’s milk feta cheese
Instructions
- Mince the dill, zest the orange and lemon and squeeze the juices. Combine all in a shallow pan large enough to hold the salmon fillets.
- Dredge the filets, flesh-side-down to coat them in the marinade, then repeat with the skin side. Sprinkle the fillets with 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set the fish aside.
- Slice the onion and zucchini, halve the tomatoes and mince the garlic on a large cutting board in separate piles.
- Set the oven rack to the second-highest position and preheat the broiler to high.
- Heat a 12-in. oven-safe frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil. When it shimmers, add the onion and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and continue to cook, stirring until the zucchini begins to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and garlic. The tomatoes will juice up and soften after a minute or so. Lightly smash the tomatoes and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated out of the tomatoes and the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. You may need to lower the heat or add a few Tbsp. of water if the bottom of the pan begins to over brown. The goal is to make the zucchini and tomatoes melt together into a sauce.
- Taste and season the vegetables with more salt and pepper if needed. Spread the vegetables evenly in the pan, top them with the salmon, skin-side-down and pour the citrus marinade over the fish and vegetables. Immediately transfer the pan to the broiler and broil the fish until it flakes with a fork, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on the thickness of the filets.
- Transfer the fish to two heated plates and top it with the concassé and a sprinkle of feta cheese.
Extra Hungry? Something green would be refreshing, like an arugula salad with shaved carrot (just use a vegetable peeler), a splash of lemon juice from the unused half lemon and a glug of olive oil. If you feel like it, toss the unused orange half in the salad as well.
In the glass: Look for a bottle of Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages to pair with this meal. It has the fruit and just enough body to work with the trout. I like to serve Beaujolais a little more chilled than most reds. Just pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes while you’re preparing the meal. It should be just right by the time dinner is on the table.
