Trout

Trout rule the mountain streams of America. I remember the fantastic flavor of freshly caught trout in Wyoming cooked over a campfire. They were so delicious, we had trout for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This recipe echoes that experience, sans the stinging nettles and porcupines. If you like, you could also stuff the trout with an herb or horseradish butter, fresh lemon slices, or a cornbread stuffing. As for the smoking, for trout I prefer the sweeter smoke flavor of alder or even grapevine, which you can gather from the wild or buy as prepackaged wood chips. I use them dry in this recipe, as the trout doesn't take long to smoke. This recipe works for any whole, cleaned fish; the rule of thumb for smoking is 30 minutes per pound at 225° to 250°F.

The word "meunière" is a reference to the miller of wheat, whose wife (acccording to French lore) cooked everything coated with flour. The original French style of trout meunière, then, was seasoned and floured, sautéd in butter, and then topped with the browned butter from the pan. This is still more or less how the dish is done in some restaurants—notably Galatoire's. There is a New Orleans twist on this, however, and I think it's better than the French classic. It was invented by "Count" Arnaud, who, while trying to standardize and stabilize the sauce so the fish could be fried instead of sautéd, added a bit of stock and roux to the butter and lemon. At its best, this sauce is incredibly good and works not just on trout but also on other fried seafood, notably oysters.

Regardless of your foraging skills, you can experience the abundance of the woods with these delectable parcels, which combine the nutty chew of bulgur with rich toasted pine nuts, sweet currants, and smoky trout that could have come from a nearby brook—all neatly wrapped up in a lettuce leaf. And because they're so portable, you can easily enjoy them outdoors on a picnic blanket.

A refined rethinking of a bagel-shop favorite provides a no—cook, imaginative way to appreciate the traditional flavor pairing.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's Web site, girlsatthegrill.com . I use this technique to grill one of my signature dishes, pancetta-wrapped trout. I stuff the fish with fresh tarragon, wrap it mummy-style in pancetta (uncured Italian bacon) and serve it with a simple mesclun salad for a winning meal off the grill.

This dish takes the best of traditional choucroute garni—smoked pork married to sauerkraut that's had its bite removed by being simmered in wine with bay and juniper—and lightens it up, pairing it with another Alsatian favorite, trout, and transforming a stick-to-the-ribs dish into something fit for a first course. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how the slight acidity of the kraut and the smokiness of the bacon play up, rather than dominate, the fish's clean flavor.

We're convinced that red trout is well worth looking for. We love its firm texture, its delicate flavor, and its gorgeous pink flesh, which here contrasts beautifully with the green pesto—an all-purpose sauce that would taste great with just about any type of fish or pasta.

If a bite of this clean, bright "pâté" transports you to a sunny beach on Nantucket, that's because it's inspired by a similar spread offered at the island's Straight Wharf Fish Store. This rendition can be whipped up effortlessly, but it's a substantial and statement-making appetizer nonetheless.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from A Year at Ballymaloe Cookery School, by Darina Allen. To read more about the book, Ballymaloe, and Allen, see the related Daily Dish. We can sometimes get lovely fat pink trout about 2 years old, which have a wonderful taste — much better than the smaller ones. This is a horrendously rich-sounding sauce, but it's delicious and the flavor is sublime.

The sweet and savory flavors coaxed from the bacon, onion, raisins, and vinegar in this dish complement the delicate trout without overpowering it.

Light and ultrasavory, this is a spread that's definitely worth making — it requires a minimal amount of work and tastes better than any store-bought version. And if you have any left over, you're in luck — it also tastes wonderful on bagels the next morning.

Truite aux Haricots Verts et Amandes Fresh sweet trout with lemony brown butter and crunchy almonds has become one of my favorite Bouchon dishes. We cook and serve trout with the skin and head on, though the head can be removed after cooking. When I see trout on menus, it brings to mind mountain rivers and fresh air; indeed, in inland France trout was traditionally served only in bistros that had access to freshwater fish, in rivers coming down off the Alps. Most of the trout you find, and the trout we use, is farm raised.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. The chef at Cafe Diablo uses 6- to 8-ounce local trout fillets from Road Creek Trout Farm. We have adapted the recipe for smaller fillets.

An elegant salad that would add a sophisticated touch to any Thanksgiving menu.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 20 min

For a savory and simple dinner, serve this trout with some roasted potatoes and a green salad tossed with pears and crumbled blue cheese.

'60S THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW At the opening of every episode, we see Andy and Opie walking to the creek, fishing rods slung over their shoulders, accompanied by the catchy whistled theme music. Mayberry, North Carolina, offered a welcome respite from the growing complexity of the rest of the world. This simple and delicious recipe is one way that Aunt Bee might have prepared Andy's freshly caught trout. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min