For those familiar with Toronto, you might remember the Whistling Oyster. Although I’m not a fan of basement establishments, this once used to be innovative, had an open kitchen, one could sit at a table or eat casually at the bar. I’ve been told it has since closed but I hold dear memories of eating and drinking…alot there! Their happy hour menus were a great way to try new dishes, most with a Pan-Asian and seafood slant.

I still like a good deal when I dine – looking for value, good quality food with wholesome and seasonal ingredients and it’s always fun to try new and may an ethnic dish here in multicultural Toronto. There’s a great new web site called DiningDateNight where you can 30% off your bill from Toronto’s top restaurants and eateries. Click here to see how it works.

One of my favourite dishes was the Pan-fried Cajun Rainbow Trout. Canada boasts of having lots of rainbow trout. I love trout for its flaky texture, it has a pink, almost salmon colour and it’s a versatile fish as it’s great grilled, broiled or in this case, pan-fried. Below is my Cajun spice blend good for chicken or fish. Mix the ingredients in a jar and shake well. I’ve omitted the salt so that you may control seasoning and the batch is good for a few recipes before you have to mix another batch.

The pan-fried trout is easy to make and I love it paired with this simple mushroom pasta-ideal with linguine or you could used fettucine. Here, you can easily multi-task and start on the pasta sauce then finish the meal off with pan-frying the trout. This makes for a satisfying weeknight meal giving you that restaurant feel right in your own kitchen.

Pan-Fried Cajun Rainbow Trout

(serves 4)

4 boned rainbow trout fillets, skin on

olive oil

fine sea salt

all-purpose flour for dredging

oil for frying

Cajun seasoning

2 Tbsp. of garlic powder

2 Tbsp. of onion powder

1 tsp. ground white pepper

2 Tbsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 tsp. of dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp. cornmeal

Mushroom Linguine

(serves 4)

500 gr. package of linguine

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of sliced Cremini mushrooms

1 shot of dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. of thyme leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

lots of freshly grated Romano cheese

1. Place a large pot of water on your stovetop and once aboil, add good amount of salt and the pasta and cook according to package instructions. In the meantime, add your olive oil and mushrooms in a skillet with some salt and pepper and cook the mushrooms until just browned. Now add the onions, garlic, thyme and stir in and allow to sweat for five minutes. Add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes and then add the cream. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes or until thick. Add some grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Divide and serve with your pan-fried Cajun trout.
2. In a jar, add your Cajun seasoning ingredients, seal and shake in a jar. Brush your fillets with olive oil and season with fine sea salt then sprinkle a good amount of Cajun seasoning on both sides of the fish then dredge them in all-purpose flour.
3. In a large cast iron pan or non-stick skillet add a couple of turns of olive oil over medium-high heat. Place your fillets in the pan skin-side down for about 4 minutes or until you see the flesh of fish turn opaque halfway up the side view of the fillets. Carefully flip the fish and fry on the other side for another 2-3 minutes or until a deep golden colour and crisp (add more oil while frying if needed)
4. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and a side of rice or try a linguine with a mushroom-cream sauce…just like at the Whistling Oyster used to!