Earlier this week I was searching for a DIY guide titled Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina by Barrett Mattison and Evan Jones. It was published in December 2008 as hardcover and paperback. There are a few secondhand copies on the big auction site and at that other ‘everything site’. I thought I’d first check with the publisher in case they still had an original copy.
This is how I stumbled across Frank Amato Publications LLC. What a remarkable find.
Established in 1974, Amato Media has published a remarkable range of salt and freshwater fishing titles, a myriad of US fly fishing location guides, cookbooks, fly tying and rod building guides. Worth a browse, even just as inspiration to fish somewhere new.
Down the rabbit hole I disappeared, ending up salivating over this simple recipe for smoker-cooked wild salmon, reproduced below. The book is the aptly titled Cooking Seafood by Scott and Tiffany Haugen and looks to be an excellent addition to any angler’s kitchen. Recipe is on page 107.
Smoker Chip Salmon
Ingredients
1/2 pound salmon fillet, skin left on
2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Lemon slices
In a small bowl, mix sour cream or Greek yogurt, dill, zest, sugar, onion, salt, pepper until thoroughly combined.
On a large double layer of foil, place about 2 cups smoker chips/chunks. Poke 5 holes with a sharp knife under chips/chunks.
Place salmon, skin side down, on chips/chunks. Spread creamy mixture on salmon and top with lemon slices. Close foil around fish and place in a hot grill or on a rack over an open fire. Cook fish 10-15 minutes or until fish is no longer opaque and reaches an internal temperature of at least 135 degrees.
Recipe Note: This is a great preparation while camping. Any fish can be used as well as any seasonings. The key is making sure the skin is on the chips/chunks to prevent them from getting on the meat.
In any case, I still haven’t tracked down a copy of Fly Fishing in Patagonia: A Trout Bum's Guide to Argentina by Barrett Mattison and Evan Jones. If anyone has one they would like to sell, drop me a comment below!