Hot 'n Crunchy Trout (or Chicken)
 This recipe is purportedly a favorite of news anchorman Dan Rather

Ingredients

6 to 8 trout fillets, 8 oz. each (or boneless, skinless chicken
breasts, pounded thin)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 cups cornflakes
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons red chile flakes
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup flour
6 tablespoons clarified butter (see notes)

Instructions
Toast almonds and sesame seeds in a dry skillet until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool. Combine almonds, seeds, cornflakes, sugar, chile flakes and salt in food processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form, still crunchy. Empty onto platter or baking sheet.

Whisk milk and eggs to make an egg wash. Put flour in a flat dish. Holding the trout fillet by the tail, dredge it in flour until well dusted. Pat off excess.

Pass the dusted fillet through the egg wash, wetting entire surface. Place fillet in crumb mixture, lightly pressing crumbs on the fillet with the palm of your hand. Remove and shake off excess. Set aside on a dry sheet pan or cookie sheet until all fillets are breaded.

In a large, heavy saute pan, heat 6 tablespoons clarified butter to about 325 degrees, or until parsley sizzles when tossed in.

Lay trout fillet (or chicken) skin-side up in hot pan. Saute for about 3 minutes on each side. It will cook to a golden, crunchy brown. Turn fillet once.

Place each fillet on a cookie sheet in warm oven (180 degrees) until you have completed this process for all fillets.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings