Speckled Trout with Panko, Parsley and Garlic, with Szechuan Green Beans

Our go-to weeknight meal is usually some type of fish, spicy green beans or bok choy and either cous cous or rice. As luck would have it, we were given some delicious Speckled Trout caught off the coast of Sargent, Texas, by Jerry Malek, my sister-in-law's dad. Props Jerry!

I don't know what it is about cooking with ingredients that were caught, killed or grown by your friends or family, it just makes food tastier. (Foreshadowing for a tasty Venison Chili recipe with Junction deer meat to come.)

If you want to serve this meal with rice or cous cous, start that first, so it will have time cook while you are working with everything else, as rice usually takes the longest. If it's done early, then cover  to keep warm.

 
Speckled Trout with Panko, Parsley, Garlic and Lemon Zest
4 Speckled Trout fillets, skinned (any other white fish would work: Orange Roughy, Sole, Flounder)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Flat Leaf Parsely, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 Lemon, zested
2 1/2 Tbsp of real butter, divided
1 Tbsp of olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Szechuan Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans, French Cut (ends trimmed and sliced on the bias)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Asian Chili Garlic Sauce (get this in the Asian section of your grocery, pic below)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce (I use Kikkoman low sodium, but any soy sauce would work fine)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Garlic salt & pepper

Speckled Trout with Panko, Parsley, Garlic and Lemon Zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with foil and non-stick spray. Pat the trout fillets dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Melt 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter in a skillet, drop in the garlic and lemon zest. Stir for 1 min and add Panko. Stir until golden, about 3 mins at a high heat, but be careful not to burn. Place in bowl and combine with chopped Parsley, salt and pepper to taste,  set aside.

Wipe out the pan and put back on medium high heat, drop in the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil. When pan is hot and butter is melted, place the trout fillets in the pan. Note: depending on the size of your pan (if it is small) and the size of fillets (if they are big), you may want to do this step in 2 rounds, with 2 fillets at a time. You don't want to steam the fish, which happens in a crowded pan that is not hot enough, you want to develop a nice sear. Sear the fillets 2-3 mins on each side, then place on the baking sheet and top with Panko mixture. Cook in oven at 350 for 8-10 mins, or until cooked through, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

While the fish is in the oven, put a wok on the stove at medium high heat and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. When pan is hot, drop in the green beans, season with salt and pepper and stir fry at a high heat until the green beans start to blister a little bit. This can take 5-8 mins. Continuously stir to get the green beans cooked on all sides. Then add the garlic, stir to incorporate, for 1-2 mins. Add 1 Tbsp of soy sauce. It will bubble up if the pan it hot enough, which it should, stir to coat the green beans. Cook for about 2-3 mins, until most of the liquid is evaporated and reduced, it sort of forms a glaze on the green beans. Now add 1 Tbsp of Chili Garlic Sauce, stir for about 3 mins, cover and turn off heat. The heat remaining in the pan will help steam the green beans while you are plating and getting everything else ready. When served, the green beans should be should be tender, but maintain an al dente crunch. Delicious and spicy.

Plate with fish, green beans and rice or cous cous (optional), enjoy immediately.

Music note: If you are in Austin tonight, Jan. 8, you should totally check out Mother Falcon at the Mohawk. Indie Classical awesomeness. Strings make me smile :)

Listening to: Mother Falcon, Marigold