“Then came trout fresh from the river, baked in clay; her prince helped her crack open the hard casing to expose the flaky white flesh within.” (I:251)

Trout Baked in Clay

Our Thoughts:

Creating these fish was tons of fun! True to our belief in the importance of utilizing local agricultural resources, we baked rainbow trout and brook trout that were caught locally by a friend. They were absolutely phenomenal.

The clay acts as kind of a dutch oven for the food, keeping the moisture inside the fish. When the first clay fish finally cracked, we were surprised and delighted to find the flesh perfectly cooked and flaking off the bones. It was creamy and tender, with a wonderful, clean taste.

Half of the fun in this recipe is molding the clay around the fish. We chose to make them look like actual fish (many thanks to  Aidan’s artistic “talent”), which would be an impressive addition to any dinner table. Cracking the clay fish open on the table certainly adds a level of drama to the meal.

Trout Baked in Clay

Baking fish in clay is a very old method. Encasing fish in terracotta for baking is found largely in the southwestern cultures in the US. Using sandy clay from riverbanks is more prevalent in the northeast, simple due to the local soil composition. We’ve used terracotta because we could not find any raku clay in our area.

Cook’s note: If you happen to be a very lucky fisherman, and cannot consume all your fish in one sitting, here is a great way to preserve the fresh taste of your fish: clean and gut the fish as usual, and remove the head if you prefer. Do not wash the natural “slime” off the fish before pooping it in the freezer. That’s what gives it that fresh-caught flavor when you take it out to cook later!

Ingredients: