steelhead trout with a mango, white wine sauce

fish is good fuel for a few fast miles on foot

recently, i elongated my running route by 3, 4, and sometimes 5 extra miles. i also added a few goat-grade inclines to challenge myself farther. no reason really . . . i'm not training for anything, i just feel good. and running is a reason to get outside regardless of the weather. gear makes that possible. besides, not even a deluge can damper my i'm-going-running-made-up mind.

          i need extra energy to be able to endure the extended distances. so i put fish on our menu several times a week for its lean, light protein. this recipe was spawned from one ripe mango i plucked from the fruit section of the market to pair with steelhead trout. the compact, sunny, mango flesh purées into an incandescent sauce, glazing the fillets in an exotic taste of the tropics. mango tastes of mellowed sugar with a slight acidity . . . it's light enough to flatter the fish without masking it. serve it with a spoonful of whole grains, some leafy greens, and you're off and running.

mangos have a large, soft seed in the center, so use a paring knife to cut the flesh away from it.

purée the mango in a blender and then use it along with lemon juice to marinate steelhead trout fillets

ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 steelhead trout fillets, 6 oz. each
• 1 mango, peeled and roughly chopped
• juice of 2 lemons
• handful of minced chives
• a few shots of white wine
• kosher salt
• pinch of paprika
• 1-2 tbls. high-heat safflower oil

directions

1. put the chopped mango into a blender and process until smooth.
2. pour a little of the puréed mango onto a clean plate.
3. rinse the fish and pat dry. set the fillets on the plate, over the mango purée, and give each one a squeeze of lemon juice.
4. pour the rest of the puréed mango over the fish and dust them with kosher salt and paprika.
5. preheat the oven to 400 degrees while the fish marinates . . . for about 20 min.
6. rub a little safflower oil onto the surface of an oven safe skillet or pan. shake off most of the marinade from the fish and save it. set the fillets in the oiled skillet. bake the trout for about 12 min. until it just turns opaque.
7. while the fish is cooking, pour the reserved mango marinade from the plate into a sauce pan, add the minced chives, and whisk in the white wine.
8. bring the sauce to a simmer on med.-high, and let it cook until it thickens. stir occasionally.
9. plate the fish, spoon on a little of the sauce, and top with a few blades of chives.