Fish Fillets Stuffed with Dill, Pine Nuts, and Parsley

Serves 4

• Preferred fish is herring, but can use mackerel or trout fillets
• 8 small (3 ounces/90g each) herring, mackerel, or trout fillets, skin on, bones removed

For the stuffing:

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup (35 g) pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ cup fresh dill fronds, gently packed
• ¾ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, gently packed
• Zest of 1 lemon, minced
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Rinse the fillets and check them carefully for bones. Remove any bones. Pat them dry and refrigerate.
2. To make the stuffing, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the pine nuts and the garlic, stirring and shaking the pan often so they brown evenly, until both are golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
3. Mince the herbs and stir them into the pine nuts and garlic, along with the lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil. Reserve.
4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a very large nonstick skillet over medium heat or divide the oil between two skillets. When it is hot but not smoking, place the fillets in it, skin side down. Season them with salt and pepper. Evenly divide the stuffing atop four of the fillets, pressing it gently onto them.
5. Cook the fillets, covered, until they are translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer each fillet with stuffing to a warmed serving plate. Generously season them with pepper.
6. Top each with an unstuffed fillet and serve immediately.

Note: When transferring the cooked fish to the plate, first transfer the fillet with the stuffing on top of it, then top it with the other fillet. Some of the filling will tumble off the fillet, creating a garnish on the plate.