A Silverware Affair (Birmingham, Alabama)
Serves 6
Pecans (Alabama’s state nut) and freshwater trout (found in the rivers and streams of the Southeast) are highlighted in this recipe.
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon water
½ cup panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (see Chef’s Tips on nuts and seeds, this page)
6 large trout fillets, deboned
1 tablespoon blended oil, more as needed (see Chef’s Tips on blended oil, this page)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Bread the fish using the Chef’s Tips instructions for standard breading procedure (this page).
Place each of the following mixtures into separate shallow pans, wide enough to hold the trout. Make a dry flour mixture by combining the flour, salt, and pepper. Make a wet egg mixture by combining the eggs and water. Make a dry breadcrumb mixture by combining the panko breadcrumbs and pecans.
Heat the pan with blended oil. Place the trout, fillet-side-down, in the flour mixture, then in the egg wash, and, lastly, firmly pressed into the panko-pecan mixture. Sauté the trout, pecan-side-down, for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and sauté for 1 more minute or until firm.