Seafood isn’t something particularly local to the mountains of Western North Carolina, but farmers markets can still be a chance to find fish to enjoy alongside winter produce. Western North Carolina is known for its cold, clean streams that are teeming with life, making it a perfect place to sustainably farm rainbow trout.
Sunburst Trout Farm, a weekly regular at North Asheville Tailgate Market, has been raising rainbow trout in the pristine rivers that originate in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area of Pisgah National Forest for three generations. Sunburst strives to create an environment in which the trout they raise live as close to the way nature intended: swimming upstream, eating a high-quality diet, and without hormones or antibiotics. Their trout filets, dips, and smoked products are absolutely delicious and are raised and made here in the mountains!
Trout is one of the easiest fish to prepare at home. It can be pan-seared, baked, grilled, or broiled in under 15 minutes. This simple oven-baked trout brings out the mild fish flavor perfectly. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and get out a big piece of aluminum foil. Pat dry your trout and place it in the middle of the foil. Season your trout with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs like dill or parsley. In a small saucepan, melt one to two tablespoons of butter and add two cloves of minced garlic. Stir until fragrant. Pour the garlic butter over your trout and wrap the foil leaving it tented. Bake for 13 minutes then open the foil and broil for three minutes. Different size filets have different cooking times, so use your meat thermometer and check for a 145 degree cook temperature. Remove from the oven and serve, savoring the flaky WNC raised goodness. Find fresh herbs from Gaining Ground Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market) and Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville City, River Arts District, and Weaverville markets)…