Trout with Avocado Mango Salsa, Rice and Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

For those of you who have been following my blog, you will know that I have been trying to eat more fish. I'm still not a big fan, but if it's dressed up right, I usually enjoy it. It's been a journey (re: fish is a whole food group, schemas of myself as a foodie, too many psychology courses, etc.) but I have found another recipe that I enjoy and it's only right that I share it with you, dear readers. The original recipe (http://www.tastespotting.com/features/salmon-with-avocado-mango-salsa-recipe-canyon-ranch) called for salmon but we only had trout in the house at this point. So here goes...

Trout (or Salmon) with Avocado Mango Salsa

 For the salsa:
half of a large avocado, peeled, diced
1/3 cup peeled, diced mangoes
2 Tablespoons minced red onions
2 Tablespoons minced red bell peppers (I had a yellow one in my fridge)
1 Tablespoon cilantro (I'm not a fan so I used parsley instead)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half of a small lime)
1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
1/4 teaspoon salt

Basically all you need to is chop everything up, chuck it in a bowl and give it a good stir to combine everything nicely. Voila.

Once your salsa is made and the flavours are combining, start sauteing your fish. Remember, fish doesn't take very long to cook at all so if you're making multiple dishes, maybe cook your fish last.

For the trout:
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
trout (or salmon) filets
salt and fresh ground pepper

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper then place in pan and sear each side for about 3-5 minutes, or until cooked through.

With this dish, I also made zucchini sticks. My neighbour had given me an obscene amount of zucchini from her garden and since I hate to waste perfectly good vegetables, I decided to try something different with them. I had made zucchini sticks once before but they were blech. This new recipe I found seemed to be much  more promising. Here's the recipe I found (http://www.closetcooking.com/2009/02/parmesan-crusted-baked-zucchini-sticks.html) and we're off!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used panko, like I do in everything)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 teaspoon oregano
1 pound zucchini (I'm sure I had more than this so I just adjusted and made a little more of everything)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
Mix the bread crumbs, parmesan and oregano in a small bowl. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper. Dip the zucchini in egg, then dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Place zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer with the skin side (the dark part) down. Bake in an oven preheated to 425F for about 20-25 mins, or until golden brown. Like this...

These were good dipped in marinara sauce. I don't think they would be very good the next day if you had left overs as I think they would get pretty soggy. So the moral of the story is that they are best if eaten right away. For the rice, I cooked it in my trusty rice cooker and added seasonings (salt, powdered chicken bouillon).

 And there you go. A perfectly easy and delicious meal.

Much love,

- A