Simple Pan Seared Rainbow Trout

Nine times out of ten, I'm a food purist.  I'm a big believer in tasting whatever I'm eating.  I think that's a sure fire way to tell whether or not you like something.  It's easy to coat anything in a cream, tomato or teriyaki sauce and love it.  Or, as we are often guilty of in the south, fry it and dip it.

But often times, especially with fish, all it needs is salt, pepper and a little garlic powder.  It seasons it without masking it.  That's not to say any of those sauces don't have their place or a recipe that suits them.  But when I'm trying or cooking something for the first time, I find the simpler method will tell me the quality of what I've purchased.

We had received a free 60 membership to BJ's Wholesale Club.  The Wife, The Kid and I went last Saturday.  I was very impressed with the quality of their meats and seafood since we had been there a few years before.  They had beautiful wild-caught Coho salmon.  The Wife's not a salmon eater so that got crossed off the list.  Then I came across dressed rainbow trout.  Reluctantly, she agreed to let me give it a shot.

Having never bought fish at BJ's before, I went the simpler route to see how good the quality was.  I was impressed.  It was fresh - not fishy in the least.  The trout had a lot of meat on it.  And the recipe was perfect - enough seasoning to have flavor, but not mask the fish.  The squeeze of lemon put it over the top.

Simple Pan Seared Rainbow Trout

1 Dressed Trout - Preferably Deboned

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Lemon, Halved

Heat a cast iron (or whatever you have) over medium heat.  While the pan is heating, prepare the trout.

Make sure you've got most of the bones out of the trout.  Pat dry with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

When the pan is hot, add the olive oil to the pan.  Place the trout, skin side up, in the hot pan and cook, for 3 minutes.

Flip and cook an addition 2-3 minutes.

Now, in the flipping process, mine split down the middle. No Problem!

Squeeze both halves of the lemon over the trout while it's hot and let rest for 1-2 minutes.  Enjoy!