Baked Spotted Trout with Crab Stuffing

Recipe

• 6 spotted trout fillets
• ½ pound fresh backfin crabmeat
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup celery, minced
• ½ cup onion, minced
• ¼ cup green pepper, minced
• 1 cup fresh, fine bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground         
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
• salt
• black pepper, freshly ground

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Lightly sauté celery, onion and green pepper. Be careful not to brown. Stir in crumbs, eggs, lemon juice, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and paprika.

Remove from heat.  Gently fold in crab meat.

Layout fillets on a work surface, skin sides up. Spoon stuffing onto fillets. Roll up each fillet and place seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter. Lightly salt and pepper. Bake at 375° F for about 10-12 minutes or until done. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Contributed by Joyce Taylor MM2