Bucksnort Trout
Sour Corn, Dandelion Greens, Cornbread Purée, Ramp Mayonnaise, Benton's Ham, Scallions
Chef Sam Jett of Audrey | Nashville, TN
Adapted by StarChefs | August 2026 | Photo: Alexander Zeren
INGREDIENTS
Sour Corn:
Sweet corn
Kosher salt
Cornbread Purée:
Leftover cornbread, crumbled
Buttermilk
Kosher salt
Lemon juice
Ramp Mayonnaise:
150 grams ramp leaves, greens only, blanched
750 grams mayonnaise
12 grams trout amino
10 grams sake lees amino
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
One 7-ounce Bucksnort trout fillet
Lemon juice
Kosher salt
Ground Benton's ham
Ground black pepper
Sliced scallions
Dandelion greens
Unsalted butter
METHOD
For the Sour Corn:
Place corn in a fermentation vessel, leaving at least 2 inches of headspace. Cover with enough water to submerge. Weigh and add 2½-percent salt by weight of mixture. Cover and let sit 7 days in a cool, dark room, stirring daily to agitate. Let sit additional 2 months, or until sour flavor is achieved. Skim any impurities that rise to the surface.
For the Cornbread Purée:
In a stockpot over medium-high flame, combine cornbread and enough buttermilk to submerge. Bring to a simmer, or until cornbread is softened. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Season with salt and lemon juice. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Ramp Mayonnaise:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, purée blanched ramp leaves until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Fold in mayonnaise, trout amino, and sake lees amino until fully combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a saucepan over low heat, warm Cornbread Purée. Transfer to a piping bag and set aside. Prepare and heat grill. On a clean work surface, brush fish with desired amount Ramp Mayonnaise. Generously season with salt. Grill, skin-side down, until internal temperature of fish reaches 120°F. Remove from heat. Season flesh side with lemon juice and salt. Let rest. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, render ham. Add desired amount Sour Corn. Sauté until warmed through. Season with black pepper. Add desired amount scallions. Keep warm. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, sauté dandelion greens with butter and lemon juice. Season with salt. Keep warm. Place trout on a serving plate. Pipe alternating stripes of warmed Cornbread Purée and Ramp Mayonnaise. Garnish with Sour Corn mixture and dandelion greens. Finish with lemon juice.
