Lunch: Butterflied Trout with Spicy Lettuce, Celery, and Herbs

Recipe by Alison Roman If you have any doubts about your fish-cooking skills, put an end to them by using a nonstick skillet.

Ingredients

1/2 jalapeño, with seeds, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
Kosher salt
1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (14 –16-ounce) whole butterflied rainbow trout
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 Little Gem, butter lettuce, or romaine hearts, leaves separated
2 celery stalks, preferably with leaves, leaves reserved, stalks thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
1/2 cup mint leaves

Instructions

Using the side of a chef's knife, mash jalapeño, lime zest, and orange zest with a pinch of salt on a cutting board to a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in shallot, orange juice, lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Season trout with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook 1 trout, skin side down, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes (flesh will be nearly cooked through). Remove from heat, turn fish, and let sit until cooked through, about 1 minute more. Transfer trout to a platter. Wipe out skillet; repeat with remaining trout and 1 tablespoon oil.
Toss lettuce, celery, celery leaves (if using), cilantro, mint, and 3 tablespoons dressing in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Top trout with salad and spoon remaining dressing over.

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