WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Pairing caramelized Brussels sprouts and crispy bacon with seared trout fit the bill for a simple but satisfying fish-and-veggies dinner that could go from stovetop to table in 45 minutes. First, we quickly pan-roasted the Brussels sprouts until they were deeply browned. Crisp bacon added meaty flavor to the sprouts, and we took advantage of the flavorful bacon fat to sear the trout. We kept the sprouts warm in a low oven while we quickly cooked our trout in batches. Nixing the flour or cornstarch often used to dredge the thin fish before searing, we turned to a spice mixture of coriander and dry mustard powder to help with browning and give our trout a crisp crust. Lemon wedges provided a bright counterpoint to the fish and rich Brussels sprouts. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

Serves 4

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ⅛ teaspoon dried
• Salt and pepper
• 3 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• 4 (6-to 8-ounce) boneless, butterflied whole trout
• Lemon wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Arrange Brussels sprouts in single layer, cut sides down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle oil evenly over sprouts. Cover skillet, place over medium-high heat, and cook until sprouts are bright green and cut sides have started to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Uncover and continue to cook until cut sides of sprouts are deeply and evenly browned and paring knife slides in with little to no resistance, 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting heat and moving sprouts as necessary to prevent them from overbrowning.
4. Stir in garlic, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer sprouts to large heatproof bowl, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven.
5. Cook bacon in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off and reserve 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. (If necessary, add extra oil to equal 2 tablespoons.)
6. Combine coriander, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pat trout dry with paper towels and sprinkle with spice mixture.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon reserved fat in again-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place 2 fillets flesh side down in skillet and cook until browned and trout flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to serving platter and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon reserved fat and remaining 2 fillets; transfer to platter.
8. Gently fold bacon into Brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve trout with Brussels sprouts and lemon wedges.