Mushroom and Bacon-Stuffed Trout

Ingredients

• 2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2 bunches)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 8 (8-ounce) dressed whole rainbow trout
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges and fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until golden.
3. Increase oven temperature to 400°.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add green onions and onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms soften and most of liquid evaporates. Add chopped thyme; cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Combine mushroom mixture, breadcrumbs, and bacon in a bowl.
5. Open trout flat as you would a book. Drizzle trout evenly with juice; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Spoon about 1/4 cup mushroom mixture onto bottom half of each fish; fold over to cover with top half of fish. Arrange fish on a foil-lined broiler pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork or until desired degree or doneness. Garnish with lemon wedges and thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.