Recipe: Pan-Roasted Trout Bruschetta with Chili Vinaigrette

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	Users > AngelaG > Michael Chiarello''s "Casual Cooking" > Appetizers > Pan-Roasted Trout Bruschetta with Chili Vinaigrette

Pan-Roasted Trout Bruschetta with Chili Vinaigrette

1 Tbs		sherry vinegar
1		small clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs		finely chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
3 Tbs		Chili Oil
		Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper
2		red bell peppers
		Olive oil for coating the peppers
8		slices country-style bread, about 6 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 1/2 inch thick
		Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing the bread, plus 1/4 cup
2		whole trout, 3/4 pound each, filleted and skinned, or 4 skinless trout fillets
3/4 cup		Arborio Rice Coating or Wondra flour
16		oil-cured black olives, halved and pitted

Preheat the oven to 450�F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, and half of the parsley. Gradually whisk in the Chili Oil to make a vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat the bell peppers lightly with the olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake, turning every 10 to 15 minutes, until they are blistered all over, about 30 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so they steam as they cool. Peel the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs; cut each pepper lengthwise into 4 strips.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375�F.

Brush the bread on both sides with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crisp outside but still soft within, about 15 minutes.

Cut the 4 trout fillets into 8 pieces that roughly fit the toasts. Liberally salt the fish on both sides and let stand for 10 minutes to firm the flesh. Rinse well and pat dry. Dredge the fillets with the rice coating, shaking off the excess.

Heat the 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. When hot, add the fish, skinned side up, and cook until crisp, about 1 minute. Turn with an offset spatula and cook on the skinned side until done, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

To serve, put 2 toasts on each of 4 plates. Top each toast with a slice of roasted pepper and a piece of trout. Spoon some of the vinaigrette over the trout. Scatter a few olives around each portion, and dust the fish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4

Recipe Type

Appetizer

Recipe Source

This recipe is a contemporary variation of a dish I grew up on: sardella. Its aroma takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen. When the sardines were running, a family member would drive to Monterey and get a mountain of fish to divide among the extended family. The fish would be rinsed, filleted, and ground to a paste with chili powder, garlic, salt, and vinegar, then packed into a crock, covered with olive oil, and stored in the cool basement. We used sardella in many ways, including folding it into bread dough and baking it.

Here, I've incorporated many of the same seasonings, using trout because it's widely available. You can substitute fresh sardines or mackerel if you can find them.