WHEN YOU HAVE fish that’s absolutely fresh and pristine, chef Matt Kelly believes you should keep the preparation as simple as possible. So the first step to making his third, utterly unfussy Slow Food Fast recipe is obtaining the freshest trout you can find.
In Durham, N.C., Mr. Kelly obtains his from fresh waters within the state. Wherever you happen to live, he advised, rely on a trusted fishmonger rather than a grocery store. “Look for firm flesh,” he said. “And you don’t want any funny scent or discoloration on the trout.” The rest of the ingredients—scallions, lemons, dried chiles and garlic—are things you may well have on hand already. If you don’t have jamón Serrano, feel free to swap in prosciutto or Southern country ham.
Mr. Kelly calls for pan-frying the trout until its skin crisps. He accompanies the fillets with crisped slices of the jamón, charred scallions and lemons, and thinly sliced chiles.
Trout and ham have a natural affinity for one another, the chef said. It’s a reasonably rich combination, and the lemons help to cut through that. They char in the pan along with the scallions, which mellow a bit and develop a nice sweetness as they cook. The chiles shouldn’t be too fiery; they’re just here to add some earthy depth. These ingredients should balance and complement the trout, not overpower it, Mr. Kelly emphasized: “Nothing should detract from the perfectly seared fish.”
