When Chef Jeannette sent me this recipe, the fi rst thing I did was
Google rainbow trout. That’s because every time you look, it seems
there’s another hidden danger or environmental problem with
fi sh. Farmed salmon is, according to the Environmental Working
Group, the main source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the
U.S. food supply. Swordfi sh can have large amounts of mercury.
And do we really trust the farm-raised tilapia from China?
On the other hand, rainbow trout seems to be on the “good”
side of everyone’s “eat this, not that” list. In 2014, Wo m e n ’ s H e a l t h
magazine listed it under “fi sh you should eat,” and as recently as
May of this year, livestrong.com listed it as one of the nine safest
seafood options. (Mussels and Pacifi c sardines also made the list.)
Rainbow trout has more than 100 percent of the daily require-
ment for vitamin B 12 , as well as more potassium than bananas. It’s
also got a nice dollop of niacin, an important B vitamin. And the
rest of the ingredients in this dish are superstar supporting players
with a wealth of health benefi ts: garlic, the original medicinal
food; tomatoes, with their healthy dose of the antioxidant lycopene;
olives, with their legendary olive polyphenols (the reason extra
virgin olive oil is so good for you); and the underappreciated
lemon, the subject of this month’s “featured ingredient” section.
As my grandmother used to say, “What’s not to like?” —Dr. Jonny
(^70) • SEPTEMBER 2017
healthyDISH/
NOTES FROM THE CLEAN FOOD COACH
Rainbow trout made the 2010 Seafood Watch “Best of the Best” list
for low levels of mercury and PCBs. Nutritionally, rainbow trout is
superior to tilapia because its ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty
acids is 1:2 (like salmon), whereas tilapia is 2:1. Otherwise, the two
types of fish are very similar—both mild, quick-cooking fillets.
healthyDISH/ HEALTHY FAST FOOD FU0,LL OF MODERN FLAVOR
PHOTOGRAPHY: PORNCHAI MITTONGTARE: FOOD STYLING; CLAIRE STANCER; PROP STYLING: ROBIN TURK
FEATURED NUTRIENT: Lemon
The poor underappreciated lemon. Like comedian Rodney
Dangerfield, it “just don’t get no respect.” Usually relegated to the
position of garnish or zest, it rarely gets the attention it deserves
as a genuinely healthy food on its own. Maybe it’s time that it did.
Singing teachers have long known about the anecdotal
benefits of lemon. When I was working in musical theater, there
wasn’t a singer I knew whose teacher hadn’t prescribed hot water
and lemon, first thing in the morning, for its soothing effect on
vocal cords. Nutritionists in the naturopathic tradition—like my
friend Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD—recommend daily intake of
lemon juice to stimulate digestive juices.
Like other citrus fruits, lemons are a great
source of vitamin C, a powerful anti-
oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Lemons also contain two other
compounds—a group of chemicals
called limonoids, and specifically
a compound called limonene—
both of which have documented
anticancer properties.
Trout: The Perfect Catch
This light dish featuring trout—one of
the safest fi sh to eat—makes a perfect
evening meal as summer moves into fall
/// BY JONNY BOWDEN, PHD, CNS, AND JEANNETTE BESSINGER, CHHC
TANGY TOMATO TROUT
Serves 4
Pan roasting gives this moist,
flaky fish a nice crispy skin. Ask
your fishmonger to butterfly the
fillets for easier prep.
2 Tbs. neutral high-heat oil, such
as rice bran or pastured butter
8 boneless, 4 oz. rainbow trout
fillets, or 4 whole 6 oz.
rainbow trout, deboned and
butterflied wide open
Salt and cracked black pepper,
to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
and thinly sliced
1 large lemon, seeded, peel
and pith cut away, and
roughly chopped
2 pints heirloom cherry tomatoes
½ cup whole pitted Kalamata
or green olives, drained
2 Tbs. capers
½ lemon, for squeezing
¼ cup chopped parsley,
optional for garnish
- Heat rice bran or butter oil in
large skillet, sauté pan, or Dutch
oven over medium-high heat. - Evenly season trout fillets with
salt and pepper. Add fillets
in single layer to skillet, skin
side up, and allow to cook,
undisturbed, about 3 minutes.
Gently flip fish, and sear about
2 minutes, or until just cooked
through. (Try to flip the fish only
once to prevent breakage.) - While fish is cooking, heat olive
oil in large sauté pan at just
below medium-high heat. Add
garlic, lemon, and tomatoes,
and sauté 3–4 minutes, until
tomatoes start to soften. Add
olives and capers, and sauté 2
minutes more (bursting some
tomatoes), until everything is
hot and tender. - Add tomato mixture to
serving plates, and arrange
fillets on top. Squeeze lemon
over all, and garnish with
parsley, if using.
Per serving: 470 cal; 48g prot; 26g total fat (4.5g sat fat); 9g carb; 135mg chol;
440mg sod; 2g fiber; 4g sugars