Fresh Trout Stuffed With Olives And Thyme

1. 1

   Preheat oven and a ceramic or glass casserole dish to 475 degrees. Put 2 cups of water in a second dish and place it in the oven as well (this will produce a nice humid environment and help maintain the moistest flesh possible). Rinse the fish well with cold water (don't forget to rinse out the cavity as well) and pat dry with a paper towel. Salt the inside of the cavity, and add the thyme, lemon wheels, and olives. I like to tie butcher's string around the fish to ensure that it loses as little moisture during the cooking process as possible.

2. 2

   Place fish on the hot cooking dish, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the fish when a meat thermometer inserted into the cavity reads 135 degrees.

3. 3

   Place the fish on a cutting board and carefully remove string. Run a sharp knive down the backbone (about 1/3 of an inch deep), and peel back the skin with a fork (it should come off easily). The large piece of backmeat should come off easily by gently pulling at it with a fork (starting at the faint line which runs from the gills to the tail). Place meat on a warm plate. Using a fork you can then remove the meat from the ribs by gently pullin it up and away from the backbone.

4. 4

   Serve with olives and thyme from the cavity.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.