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3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat for 1 to 1½ minutes or until ripples appear on the skillet bottom. Ease in the trout fillets and fry 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown, adding more oil if needed.

4. Spoon 1/3 cup of the pesto over the trout fillets, dividing evenly. Cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes more or just until the pesto is heated through.

5. Arrange the trout on four heated dinner plates and serve. Pass the remaining pesto separately.

CHARCOAL-GRILLED SHAD ROE WITH TOMATO-MINT SALSA

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Along the James River they say that “when the shadbush blooms,” the spring run of shad begins. These annual runs begin farther south, usually in December in North Florida, then move up the coast, reaching the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland by early March if the winter has not been unduly harsh. For Lisa Ruffin Harrison of Evelynton Plantation on the James, shad roe is a supreme delicacy. She grills it, then tops it with a salsa of her own invention, proving that good home cooks are often as imaginative as three-star chefs. “The garden-fresh flavors of the tomatoes and herbs are a wonderful pairing with the rich flavor of the shad roe,” Lisa says. “A good departure from the traditional bacon accompaniment.” Note: Like most creative cooks, Lisa continues to rework and refine her recipes. The salsa, for example, which she’s simplified. “The tomato-mint salsa can also be raw,” she recently e-mailed me, “and is particularly delicious with a milder onion like Vidalia.” As for the shad roe, she had this to say: “I’ve found that grilling the shad roe is still a bit tricky. The roe is really hard to keep from splitting open.” She adds that the last time she grilled shad roe, she “had better luck painting it with olive oil” than brushing with lemon juice and spreading with mayonnaise. She does still salt and pepper the roe, however, and she cooks it in a fish basket. “It needs babysitting,” she cautions, “and should be held above the grill to avoid ‘exploding’ from direct heat. Five minutes per side is enough. Once off the grill, sprinkle the roe generously with the lemon juice.” Lisa admits that she often now sautés the roe in a skillet, prepping it the same way and browning over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. It’s only fair, I think, to offer Lisa’s updated method as well as her original recipe (below), which appeared in Bon Appétit in the late 1980s. It’s delicious.

Tomato-Mint Salsa

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into fine dice

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Shad Roe

6 pairs fresh shad roe

Juice of 2 large lemons

½ cup mayonnaise (about)

2 large limes, cut into thin wedges

3 to 5 sprigs of fresh mint or basil

1. Build a charcoal fire and let the coals burn until white-hot.

2. Meanwhile, begin the salsa: Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil in a medium-size heavy skillet over moderate heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden. Add 3 of the tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes until all juices have evaporated. Set off the heat and cool to room temperature. Mix in the remaining tomato and the cucumber and set aside.

3. For the shad roe: Brush the roe liberally with the lemon juice, then sprinkle any remaining lemon juice over them and let stand for 10 minutes. Spread the mayonnaise on both sides of each pair of roe—this is to keep them from sticking to the grill or fish basket.

4. Lower the grill so it’s 2 inches above the white-hot coals. Place the roe in a fish basket or directly on the grill and sear quickly on both sides. Raise the grill so it’s 6 inches above the coals and grill the roe for 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until heated