Camp-Fried Speckled Trout — Two Nights, Two Fish, One Dock in Cocodrie

Summer 2017 part two: the sequel nobody asked for but everyone showed up for. The kids are home. The noise is back. The sprinkler is running. Rémy has found a frog in the backyard and named it Pierre, which I told actual Pierre, and actual Pierre said, "Bon nom," which might be the closest thing to a laugh Pierre has produced in a decade.

I took the family to Cocodrie for the Fourth of July weekend — the whole family this time, not just the boys. Rented a camp from Boo's neighbor, big enough for all five of us. Danielle was skeptical. Danielle is always skeptical of anything that involves no air conditioning and shared bathrooms, but she came, and by Saturday afternoon she was sitting on the dock with a glass of wine and her feet in the water and a look on her face that said, "Okay. This is nice."

I fried fish both nights. Speckled trout Friday, redfish Saturday. The kids fished all day — even Colette, who surprised everyone by catching the biggest fish of the trip: a 24-inch redfish that she reeled in herself, standing on the dock in a sundress and flip-flops, looking like the most unlikely fisher in Terrebonne Parish. She held it up and Pierre (the human one, not the frog) nodded twice, which is Pierre's equivalent of "unbelievable."

We did fireworks on the dock — sparklers and fountains over the water, the light reflecting on the marsh in golden streaks. Rémy held his sparkler and stared at it the way he stares at everything: with total, consuming wonder. The boy is a wonder machine. He wonders at sparklers and fish and frogs and the way the roux changes color, and I hope he never stops, because wondering is the engine that drives everything else — the cooking, the fishing, the living. You stop wondering, you stop stirring. You stop stirring, the roux burns. And a burned roux is a tragedy that no amount of seasoning can fix.

Friday night was speckled trout, Saturday night was redfish — and both nights the recipe was essentially the same, which is the whole point of a good camp fry: one method, whatever the marsh gives you. The cornmeal crust is seasoned enough to stand on its own but light enough to let the fish do the talking, which is exactly what Colette’s 24-inch redfish deserved. If you’re frying at camp, keep a cast iron skillet and a bottle of hot sauce on hand, and everything else follows naturally.

Camp-Fried Speckled Trout (or Redfish)

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs speckled trout fillets (or redfish), skin-on, cut into serving portions
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for finishing
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• Vegetable oil or peanut oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
• Lemon wedges and hot sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oil. Pour oil into a large cast iron skillet to about 1 inch deep. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer at camp, drop a pinch of cornmeal in — it should sizzle immediately and float.
2. Make the dredge. In a shallow dish or rimmed plate, combine the cornmeal, flour, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, and salt. Stir well to distribute the spices evenly.
3. Make the egg wash. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk until smooth.
4. Coat the fillets. Working one piece at a time, dip each fillet into the egg wash and let the excess drip off. Press firmly into the cornmeal mixture on all sides, patting to adhere. Set aside on a plate while you coat the rest.
5. Fry in batches. Carefully lay fillets into the hot oil, skin-side down first. Do not crowd the pan — fry in two or three batches depending on the size of your skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the crust is deep golden brown and the fish flakes easily at the thickest point.
6. Drain and season. Transfer fried fillets to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels. Hit each piece immediately with a pinch of kosher salt while the crust is still hot.
7. Serve. Serve hot, straight from the skillet, with lemon wedges and hot sauce alongside. Cold beer optional but strongly recommended.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 315 | Protein: 33g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 590mg