Baked Trout with Tomatoes and Olives (NYT)

Found this recipe in the NYT and it looked good

• 4 trout, boned and butterflied, or 4 rainbow trout fillets
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes in juice
• Pinch of sugar (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil (optional)
• 12 imported black olives, pitted

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Oil a gratin dish or baking dish large enough to accommodate all the fish (use two baking dishes if necessary). Open up the trout if it’s been butterflied, and season with salt and pepper. If using trout fillets, arrange in a single layer in one or two baking dishes, skin side down, and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan or frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and sugar, stir together and raise the heat to medium-high. When the tomatoes begin to bubble vigorously, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Stir in the basil, olives and salt to taste. Season with pepper and adjust salt.

3. Place a spoonful of tomato sauce on a half of each butterflied trout, and close up the fish. Lay side by side in the baking dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the fish (or all of the sauce over the fillets, if using fillets). Cover the dish tightly with foil that has been lightly oiled on the dull side with olive oil, and place in the oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until the fish pulls apart easily when poked with a fork. Serve the fish and the sauce with rice or other grains such as quinoa or spelt.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can prepare the sauce up to three days ahead. Reheat on top of the stove before proceeding with the recipe.