At the End of the Rainbow

Great Endings for Your Prize Catch

Each summer, the glint of silvery trout flashing through a rushing stream or a crystal lake lures millions of fisherfolks to the waters of America. If you are among them or the lucky benefactor of a successful fishing trip, here are some time-tested ways to make the most of a fine fresh trout.

With all of the trout familyıs best traits, the internationally-prized rainbow is the most famed of the trout varieties. The wide-ranging trout family found in inland waters across the country also includes cutthroat, brook, brown, lake, Dolly Varden, and a few varieties that go to sea‹steelhead, a kind of rainbow, and sea-run cutthroat (which has the delightful scientific name Salmo clarki clarki). While some trout varieties can grow big enough to live up to a fishermanıs tall tale or a seventeenth-century travelerıs description of "trout as big as oneıs thigh," small trout make just as fine a feast, particularly if you have a little foresight when youıre stocking your camp pantry.

Trout are firm, fat, and fine flavored, making them adaptable to various cooking methods and subtle enhancements. It doesnıt take much to transform a simple dish into a simply spectacular one‹a small package of sliced almonds, a couple of lemons. And, when you have been blessed with an abundance of these silvery beauties, itıs always nice to have something new in your bag of tricks.

While each of these recipes is custom-made for bringing out the best in a trout, they work beautifully with many other fish that might be biting. And donıt be overly concerned about matching the size of your catch to the recipe‹the Champion Fish in Foil recipe is as good for a pan-size fish, and a fish thatıs a bit big for the pan can be shifted around to get it to cook to perfection.

Each recipe serves four.

Brookside Trout

Rainbow in a Cloud

Trout Amandine

Fresh Lemon Trout

Likety-Split Small Fry

Champion Fish in Foil

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