Trout is an exquisite fish, best in the areas with lakes or rivers nearby where it ‘s fished locally both wild and farm-raised. In the Carpathians it’s very appreciated and widely found near natural water resources, where fish farms grow and sell it, or swimming in wild water.

As often goes for fish, salt and lemon are the best allies to get the best of its tate.

Igredients

• 1 whole trout;
• 1/2 a lemon;
• 2 bay leafs;
• 3 garlic cloves;
• olive oil

Preparation

Remove the scales from the skin with a knife. It’s best to do it under the running water in the sink. Clean the fish from the remaining scales – they are sticky!

Cut the lemon into fine slices, and chop the garlic into small pieces.

Mark the skin of the fish with the knife making few stripes, and stuff it with the bay leaf, the lemon and the garlic. Season the skin with salt and pepper.

Cooking

Heat the pan on a medium level heat. You can use a cast iron pan as I did, as it’s best for meats; if you choose to do so, check the pan’s heat by placing the hand a little above it so you can feel the heat level. The heat should not be too weak otherwise the skin will stick to the pan. If you want to be safer you can also apply a thin layer of flour to the skin and this way you will seal the juices in the meat, and it won’t stick.

Once pan is ready, put some oil on it and cook the fish for five minutes on each side; also make sure there is enough oil as this can be another reason for the skin to get stuck on the pan.

Once ready I decided to plate it with some orange slices, some blueberries, and some chicory that I also stir-fried on the pan on one side for having it a bit crunchy. I also seasoned everything with some chili, some wild oregano that I picked with my father on the mountain near my home, and some more olive oil that mu uncle produces on a small scale as well in a field in the mountain, which he says is the reason why it has such intensity.

Hope you like it, and wish you all the best.

George