Panko Crusted Trout

Since I've been a kid, my mom has always made trout this way (but instead of panko bread crumbs she used regular bread crumbs). My family used to go up to the mountains every summer, where our dinner was often whatever we caught that day. The lake we fished in was stocked with rainbow trout, so even us kids who didn't know what we were doing were able to reel in dinner. My mom started cooking the trout this way and we all agreed it was pretty tasty. Trout is usually sold whole, so when I make this recipe these days, it looks and tastes just like my mom's (with the extra crunch added by the panko breadcrumbs).

This is a really basic, easy recipe. You can have dinner ready in 30 minutes, and that includes time for a side dish or salad. If you can't find panko breadcrumbs, you can use the normal variety. Season the breadcrumbs to your liking. My family enjoys a spicy kick in our food, so we add the crushed red pepper flakes. If you want all the fish to be cooked at the same time as opposed to cooking in batches, use 2 large skillets at once. I serve this fish with a wedge of lemon, but it would also be good with a tartar sauce.

Serves 4

4 whole trout, cleaned, tails and heads off
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
11/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and whisk it with the milk. In a separate shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, pepper flakes, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place one tablespoons of oil in the pan. When the oil is heating prepare the first fish. Dip the fish in the egg mixture and then dredge it through the breadcrumb mixture so all of the fish is covered. Place the fish in the pan and cook. My pan can fit 2 pieces of trout, so I make 2 batches. Cook the first batch of fish for 4 minutes, then flip over. If the pan is looking dry, add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Continue cooking until the fish is just cooked through, another 3 to 6 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes apart if you test it with a fork. Repeat with the next 2 pieces of fish. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Pin It Now!