Fried Fresh Smelts Food

FRIED SMELTS

Steps:

• Whisk together flour and salt in a pie plate. Dredge smelt in flour mixture, coating both the outside and cavity of the fish.
• Heat oil in a frying pan 1/4-inch deep over medium heat until hot. Place fish in the hot oil; fry until crisp and firm, 2 to 3 minutes each side. Remove fish with a slotted spoon; drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

PAN-FRIED SMELTS

Steps:

• Rinse the smelts thoroughly and pat dry. Place the bread crumbs, salt and pepper into a large resealable bag and shake to combine. Place the lemon juice into a shallow dish. Dip the smelts into the juice and then place in the bag with the dry mixture and shake until the fish are well coated. You can coat 2 to 3 fish at a time, depending on their size.
• Place enough peanut oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet just to cover the bottom of the pan. Place over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the smelts to the pan, 4 to 5 at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until lightly browned and cooked through.

CRISP FRIED SMELT - SMELTS

Steps:

• Place flour in gallon or quart size storage bag add fish shake to coat.
• Mix egg and milk together and dip fish to coat. Then reflour the fish.
• In a large hot pan add frying oil or Crisco to cover bottom of pan, heat oil then place fish in till browned on one side flip and brown. About 2 minutes.
• Remove to paper towel or brown paper to drain oil season generously with salt and pepper and garnish if desired with lemon.

PORT WASHINGTON FRIED SMELT

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, 1 1/4 cups water and beer in a large bowl until smooth; add more water, if needed, to make a thin batter.
• Combine crackers and cornmeal in a pie plate.
• Heat oven to 200°.
• Heat oil in a heavy, deep saucepan over medium-high heat until temperature reads 375°.
• Dip smelt a few at a time into beer batter, allowing excess to drip off; roll lightly in cracker mixture.
• Add smelts to hot oil in batches; cook, turning occasionally, until crisp and browned on all sides, about 3 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and keep warm in oven while frying the remaining smelt.
• Serve hot.

FRENCH FRIED SMELT

Steps:

• Remove small scales with a sharp knife and slit the fish; clean.
• After the smelt are cleaned, place in salt water and refrigerate overnight.
• Drain very well.
• Add salt, pepper, and cream to egg and beat together.
• Dip fish into mixture, then roll in cracker crumbs.
• Fry in deep hot fat (370F) until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Serve with tartar sauce.

GRAMMIE BEA'S FRIED SMELTS

Steps:

• Buy as many fresh water smelts as you need. They are smaller and sweeter than sea smelts.
• Clean the smelts in cold water, cutting off the heads, and snip down the belly with scissors, to remove the bellies.
• Rinse out the bellies of each one, as you cut and snip the heads.
• Soak in cold water, until you are ready to cook them, or put in fridge.
• When ready to cook you will need:.
• Eggs, beaten in a lg. bowl, enough to dip all your fish in,(depending on how much you are making depends on how many eggs you.
• need).
• I use about 3 eggs for 2 lbs. of smelts.
• Jiffy corn muffin mix, (if you are cooking 2-3 lbs. of smelts 1 box will do. If you are doing more, then you will need at least 2 boxes).
• oil, enough to fill the frying pan up about 2".
• salt, to taste.
• Beat the eggs well, and put them in a bowl.
• Put Jiffy corn muffin mix in a lg. plate, and mix in salt, about 1/2 teaspoons per box.
• Put oil in frying pan to get hot. Cook on high heat, letting the pan get hot, before putting in your fish, then turn down the heat to med-high.
• Dip your fish in the egg, and then in the muffin mix.
• Deep fry in at least 2" of oil in a heavy frying pan, until golden brown.
• You can also use this corn muffin mix to cook any other sweet fresh water fish, such as horn pout, or what you may call catfish, bass, white perch etc.

NORWEGIAN PAN-FRIED SMELT RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the 2 tbsp of olive oil, juice of one lemon, 1 minced garlic clove, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; refrigerate.
• In a bowl, or a shallow dish, combine 1 cup flour, 2 tbsp cornmeal, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
• Place fish in batches into the bowl, coat with the seasoned flour mixture on both sides of the smelt, and then shake off excess flour (see notes below).
• Heat the oil (about 1-inch deep) in a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add enough smelt to cover the bottom of the pan without crowding (cook in batches). Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, crispy, and thoroughly cooked.
• Repeat the process to cook the remaining smelt; drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
• Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot, drizzled with the lemon sauce.

FRIED FRESH SMELTS

Steps:

• Clean fish, and remove the heads.
• Rinse fish well, and drain.
• Salt the fish, lightly coat in the breadcrumbs, then fry in the butter until golden brown on both sides.
• Serve immediately.

FRIED SMELT AND VEGETABLES WITH SKORDALIA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup of flour, semolina, salt, and pepper and mixes well. Dredge the fish in the buttermilk and then in the flour mixture. In a medium sized pot or deep fryer, heat 3 to 4 inches of oil and deep fry the fish until golden brown and becomes crisp. Remove fish and drain on paper towels. Serve with skordalia and a wedge of lemon.
• For Skordalia:
• Put the potatoes through a food mill or ricer and place in a bowl for mixing. Whisk in the cream, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and a little water if necessary mix until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep cool until ready to use.