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Recipes

Go Fish with Carla Hall of “Top Chef”

Posted 6/8/2011

Trout and canola oil are both good sources of omega-3 fat, which may help protect the heart.

(NAPSI)—Those interested in easy, tasty seafood recipes no longer have to go fishing for them. Carla Hall, All-Stars Fan Favorite on Season 8 of the TV show, “Top Chef,” offers a “Go Fish with Canola Oil” recipe collection with step-by-step video instructions.

“A lot of people get nervous about cooking fish, which is unfortunate because it’s a healthy addition to any diet and ‘ticky-boo’ to prepare,” said Hall.

Her fish recipes include Grilled Salmon over Lentil Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette, Halibut en Papillote (meaning “in parchment” in French) with Roasted Tomato-Artichoke Ragout, Tuna Stir-Fry over Whole-Wheat Vermicelli and the trout dish below. All of these recipes are made with canola oil, which is a good source of omega-3 fat along with the fish. Omega-3 fat may help protect the heart, especially when consumed in place of saturated fat. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a qualified health claim for canola oil on its potential to reduce the risk of heart disease.

In her CanolaInfo videos online, Hall answers common questions about fish, including selecting and preparing it. For example, she suggests these amounts when buying fish:

How Much Fish to Buy
Whole fish: ¾−1 lb per person
Dressed/cleaned: ½−¾ lb per person
Fillets or steaks: ⅓−½ lb per person

Hall can help home chefs conquer any fishy fears. For her “Go Fish with Canola Oil” recipes and videos, go to www.canolainfo.org.

Broiled Trout with Lemon Oil & Oven-Grilled Vegetables

The star of this recipe is delicious lemon canola oil, which should be a staple in any pantry. Here, it makes this simply prepared broiled trout with vegetables a healthy and tasty weekday meal.

1 cup canola oil

zest of two lemons, about 2 Tbsp

2 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into ¼-inch thick diagonal pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced into half moons

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 sprigs rosemary

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp lemon oil

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 rainbow trout fillets (6 oz each), skin removed

2 tsp lemon oil

4 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 inches long

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

lemon wedges for garnishing

1. In blender, combine canola oil and lemon zest. Process until smooth, then strain through fine mesh strainer. Store in refrigerator in airtight container or covered jar for 1−2 days.

2. Preheat broiler. In large bowl, combine zucchini, grape tomatoes, red onion, garlic and rosemary. Drizzle vegetable mixture with balsamic vinegar and lemon oil. Toss, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in single layer on baking sheet and place 4 inches under broiler for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender crisp and browned. Halfway through cooking time, toss vegetables.

3. While vegetables are cooking, prepare baking sheet with foil and canola oil cooking spray. Place trout on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides with pepper and place rosemary sprig under each fillet. Drizzle each fillet with ½ tsp lemon oil. Place fish under broiler for 7−8 minutes or until fish is opaque and flaky.

4. Carefully lift trout from pan with spatula and serve with vegetables.

Yield: 4 servings.