it’s prime michigan tomato time! time for grilled trout over panzanella salad

tuesday’s lunch special at the market was chef justin’s fantastic seared rainbow trout over panzanella salad. it was so good that it gave me the idea for this week’s fish report. i already have a great panzanella recipe, my wife, lisa’s version of ina garten’s salad: the best panzanella you’ve ever tasted! this is the moment! the local tomatoes are at their peak. simple grilled fish served over the salad makes the perfect summer meal. you’ve got your starch, vegies and protein all in one dish.

use almost any fish that you would normally grill but i prefer fish with a nice fat content that holds its moisture such as salmon, trout, bluefish or mackerel. in the past we’ve also spiced things up with our cajun seasoning on the bluefish and salmon. grilled pancetta wrapped shrimp or scallops would also be fantastic. this weekend we’ll have a great variety of fish that would be perfect for a panzanella: rhode island bluefish, alaskan coho salmon, norwegian fjord trout, columbia river king salmon and a special treat, bluefin tuna from maine. quickly seared and served rare (or raw in the center) then sliced and served over the salad would be amazing!

i am writing this on wednesday, two days before the fish report comes out, and one of the nicest looking fish in our case is norwegian fjord trout. the flavorful, rich, moist, marbled fillet should be perfect. i think we’ll get the kayaks out, grab a bottle of wine and head down to the river for the most delicious meal ever enjoyed out of tupperware.

grilled norwegian fjord trout over panzanella salad