Rainbow trout stuffed with lemon and parsley

This method can be used not only for trout, but for any other fish you like. Optionally, you can bake the fish whole, together with the head, but you need to remove the gills, otherwise they will give bitterness. But you can also cut off the head. Clean the fish, remove the insides.

Wash the lemon in hot water - this will help to get rid of the wax coating that citrus fruits are covered with for better transportation, as well as help squeeze out more juice. Cut half of the lemon into thin slices, and then cut the slices in half.

Pat the fish dry with a paper towel on the outside and inside. Transfer it to a piece of foil.

Pour vegetable oil into a small bowl. Squeeze the juice from half of the lemon and remove the zest, mix it with the oil. Brush the fish with this mixture on all sides. Season with salt and spices to taste. I use a ready-made spice mix for fish. Make three cuts at an angle of approximately 45 degrees on one side of the fish.

Insert a slice of lemon into each cut.

Thoroughly wash the parsley greens, set aside a few sprigs for serving. Tear off the leaves and finely chop them with a knife for easier stuffing. Place a handful of parsley in each cavity.

Fold the foil edges on both sides over the fish, so that the juice formed during baking does not leak out.

Connect the remaining ends of the foil and press tightly. You should have a tight foil packet. Place the fish packets on a baking sheet or in a baking dish and put in the oven at 180 degrees for 35-40 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the size of the fish.

Towards the end of cooking, unfold the foil and let the fish brown slightly at the same temperature. Sprinkle the fish with the remaining parsley greens before serving.

This dish can be prepared in advance, for example, for a celebration, for which the cooked trout needs to be frozen. After removing the cooked dish from the oven, reseal the foil ends and tightly wrap the fish. Let it cool down. Then wrap it in several layers of cling film and place it in the freezer. Overnight or a day before serving, transfer the fish from the freezer to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw completely.

Before serving, heat the fish in the microwave, then sprinkle with herbs.

If rainbow trout stuffed with lemon and parsley was not frozen beforehand and served immediately after cooking, it can be served right in a foil envelope, turning it into a boat.