Stuffed Speckled Trout Fillets

Ingredients

• 8 slices thinly sliced bacon
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 2 cups diced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons cajun seafood seasoning

• 8 (6-8 ounce)  speckled trout fillets (6-8 oz each)
• 2 teaspoons salt and black pepper, as desired
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch green onion, blanched
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• paprika, for garnish

Directions

1. 1

   Place bacon on a shallow baking pan and bake at 375F for about 15 minutes or until bacon looks crispy. Remove bacon from pan and set aside on paper towel to drain.

2. 2

   Add about half of the bacon drippings from the baking pan into a sauté pan. Sauté your veggies, and mushrooms on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and let cook until the veggies wilt and the mushrooms soften.

3. 3

   Begin stirring in just enough bread crumbs to create a stuffing (you don't want it wet and pasty, but not dry and crumbly either). When the consistency is right, stir in the garlic, parsley, and seafood seasoning. Set the mixture aside to cool.

4. 4

   Preheat oven to 400°F.

5. 5

   Place fillets on a cutting board, parallel to your body. Then using a sharp knife, slice them horizontally in equal parts so that you create an upper and lower half; leave the top half still attached to the bottom half at the end of the cut, giving you a "flap" which can be raised, up and over. Between the flaps is where the stuffing goes. Now lay the flap on each fillet open, sprinkle on a little seasoned salt and pepper, drizzle on some olive oil, and spoon in a couple of tablespoons of the mushroom stuffing. Then top with the strips of bacon and close the fillets.

6. 6

   Tie each stuffed fillet shut with strips of the blanched green onions. Then place in a shallow baking pan, splash on a little wine, top with a pinch or two of Parmesan cheese, and slide them into the oven. In 12 to 15 minutes the trout should cook to perfection.