With due respect to beloved Western North Carolina dishes like kilt lettuce (lettuce cooked with vinegar and bacon) and livermush (a coarse scrapple variant made from pork liver and cornmeal), the most common dish you’ll find in Asheville is trout. Since 1948, Sunburst Farms has raised sustainable trout in the streams of the Pisgah National Forest. Its fish are ubiquitous throughout the city, most commonly found in dips and spreads.
This recipe is flexible: Swap chives for scallions or minced red onion, mascarpone for cream cheese, or Greek yogurt for sour cream. You can also add a dash of horseradish or Tabasco for zip. Just use a light hand, as the locals like the trout to shine.
Published: June 7, 2017
Ingredients
Directions
If using whole trout, remove head and skin. Add trout to mixing bowl, flaking it into small pieces with your hands. Mash with fork until finely shredded. Add remaining ingredients, and mix with fork until creamy. Salt and pepper, to taste (you will probably need very little salt). Serve with crackers and/or crisp vegetables for dipping. Serves 4 as an appetizer.
