Steelhead Trout Stuffed Zucchini With a Parmesan, Spinach Cream Sauce

During the season when zucchini is everywhere, this is what you stuff it with: the most elegant and moist fish of all, steelhead trout!

INGREDIENTS:

2 large zucchinis halved, ends removed, and all pith and seeds scraped out leaving a bit of flesh at the ends to hold in the filling.

1 lb. Steelhead trout fillets skin off and cut into ¾ inch chunks

1/2 C mayonnaise

1/3 C finely grated good quality Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 t hot chili flakes

2/3 C thawed frozen spinach all moisture aggressively squeezed out and chopped finely

¼ C chopped Italian flat leaf parsley divided

1/3 t kosher salt + a bit more for fish

½ t black pepper + a bit more for fish

2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 pint grape tomatoes quartered

2 T capers

¼ + C good quality olive oil for rubbing the zucchini, drizzling on the salmon, and mixing with the tomato salad

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Toss the tomato with about 2 t olive oil, the capers, and 1 T parsley. Stir and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, cheese, chili flakes, 1 T parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and spinach. Blend well. Set aside.
• Lightly rub the cubed trout with oil.
• Take halved, scraped zucchini, and rub with 2 t olive oil and set in a small baking dish so that each length can fit without crowding. Make sure they’re about 1 inch apart. Fill each half with one quarter of the cheese spinach mixture pressing it into the indentation. Then top with about 4 oz. of the salmon, pressing it in slightly so it sticks to the cheese mixture. Do not crush fish. Drizzle slightly with oil, and top with the extra salt and pepper, about ¼ t on each zucchini half. Place the remaining parsley on top.
• Roast in a 400° F for about 16 – 18 minutes until fish is completely opaque. Don’t overcook.
• To serve place a serving of the tomato caper salad on the plate vertically. Nestle the stuffed zucchini alongside it. Garnish with some of the remaining parsley.