Not far from Joe’s Mountain Gardens in Celo is Canton, a mill town that is home to Sunburst Trout Farm (see Sources, page 264), where Sally Eason raises delicate pink trout in the pure water that rushes down Cold Mountain. If a campfire is not in your immediate future but you have some sparkling fresh trout, this works well on the stovetop, too. Serve it with wilted ramps (page 27) or other greens.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　4 whole trout, about 12 ounces each, cleaned and gills removed

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 cups finely ground white cornmeal

　　Expeller-pressed vegetable oil, as needed

　　

Step 1

Prepare a hot campfire. Generously season each fish, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Pour the cornmeal onto a large plate and season it generously with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

When the fire dies down, place a grill rack over the bed of embers and assemble everything you will need: your largest cast-iron skillet, the oil, a thick dry towel or sturdy pot holder, a metal spatula, a pair of long tongs to adjust the embers or grill rack if needed, and a serving platter for the fish. When the grill is very hot, the flame has completely died down, and the coals are covered with ash, put the skillet on the center of the grate and let it get hot.

　　

Step 3

In the meantime, thoroughly coat each fish with a light dusting of cornmeal.

　　

Step 4

Add 1/4 inch of oil to the hot skillet and test the oil: a sprinkling of cornmeal should immediately sizzle. Shake any excess cornmeal from the fish and slowly lay them in the skillet (you may need to work in batches if your skillet is not large enough to fit them all). Keep a close eye on the fish as they cook, and rotate the pan or gently adjust the fish with the spatula and tongs as needed. Cook the fish for 4 to 6 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Flip them over and continue until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. If the pan becomes dry during cooking, add a small amount of additional oil to the skillet.

　　Cooking in the Moment