Some helpful cooking tips.

 

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1) Be extremely careful not to overcook the fish. Fish are delicate. Do not cook your fillets too long or at too high a temperature. This will make the fish tough and rubbery. Cook the fish only until it flakes easily at the touch of a fork. Fish cooks much faster than most people realize.

 

2) If you are going to batter fry the fish, always make sure the batter is cold. Cold batter will prevent the fish from absorbing too much oil. Also, make sure the oil is hot. This can be done by dropping in a small piece of bread or batter. It should brown within a minute.

 

3) To keep fried fish crispier while cooking, put the cooked fish in a warm oven on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined plate.

 

4) Never be afraid to experiment with different recipes. Try changing the seasonings to the liking of your personal taste.

 

5) Spend the extra time making sure no bones remain in your fillets. Nothing puts off the appetite more quickly than finding bones in your fish.

 

6) Leftover fish? Cut it into bite sized pieces and add it to a salad.

 

7) Try the microwave if you're dieting. Fish cooks quickly and tastes great with just lemon juice and seasoning. Watch the fish carefully, the micro cooks it quick.

 

8) Basting lean fish such as walleye and bass when broiling will help keep them from drying out.

 

 

 

 

Fish Recipes

 

Potato Coated Walley

Battered Fish & Chips

Fancy Fried Bass

Walleye with Vegetables

Cajun Fried Walleye or Bass

Sauteed Steelhead Steaks

Yellow Perch, cocktail style

Broiled Walleye or Bass

Orange Walleye

 

 

 

 

Potato Coated Walleye

 

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. Paprika

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

garlic powder

parsley

2 beaten eggs

1 cup instant potato flakes

oil for frying

1 1/2 pounds walleye fillets

 

Combine flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl. Put potato flakes on a plate. Dredge filets in the flour mixture, then dip in eggs, then roll in potato flakes.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet. Fry fillets a couple minutes per side, until golden brown, and drain on paper towel covered plate. Serve with lemon wedges or tartar sauce.

 

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Battered Fish & Chips

 

The distinctive texture of walleye lends perfectly to deep frying. A batter coats the fish so it steams inside. To keep frying time even, cut the walleye into consistent pieces or "fingers" about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Pat the fish dry, submerge in batter, and deep fry.

 

Batter

Combine . . .

3/4 c. flour

salt and pepper, to taste

dash cayenne

1/2 tsp. baking soda

 

15 minutes before frying the fish, add . . .

1 c. milk

1 egg

2 tbsp. beer

 

Mix until smooth and let stand for 15 minutes. Lightly dust several fish fingers in flour, immediately dip them in batter, shake off the excess batter, and submerge in hot oil. Turn the pieces occasionally so they don't stick. Fry about 3 minutes. Test the first piece. Serve with lemon, tarter sauce, or malt vinegar.

 

Tips . . .

The oil must be 360 degrees Fahrenheit to 380 degrees Fahrenheit so the batter crackles distinctively. Peanut oil or corn oil (or a combination) works best. Be sure the batter is ice cold. Between batches, let the oil return to the proper temperature. Use a deep pan so fish can be submerged without the oil being too near the top of the pot. Outdoors, a 2-pound coffee can works well.

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Fancy Fried Bass

 

1 1/2 pounds smallmouth bass fillets

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup flour

butter or margarine

1 cup or more sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup green onions

2 tbls. dry white wine

1 tbls. lemon juice

 

Place the flour on a plate. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour.

Melt about 2 tbls. butter or margarine over medium heat. Fry the fillets until golden brown on each side and remove to a plate, keeping them warm. If necessary add more butter or margarine to the skillet and add mushrooms and green onions. Cook them for about 3 minutes then stir in the wine and lemon juice. Pour this mixture over the fish and serve.

 

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Walleye with Vegetables

 

The French call this method of cooking en papillote. The food is wrapped in parchment paper or foil and baked in an oven, then opened at the table, where the sudden burst of steam and aroma is wonderful.

This easy, informal dinner entree is healthful, as well.

 

Ingredients per person . . .

1 walleye fillet (or fillet of catfish, striper, panfish . . . )

1 small pat of butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. minced fresh herbs

assorted colorful vegetables

 

Details. . .

Cut one large square of parchment paper or foil into a heart shape. Spread one side thinly but completely with butter. Place the fillet on the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the vegetables on top and around the fillet. Sprinkle with the herbs.

 

Fold the parchment paper or foil in half over the walleye. Overlap the edges, holding down creased edges with one index finger, using the other thumb and index finger to pinch and fold. Tuck under the excess and place on a baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve immediately.

 

Advanced preparation . . .

Prepare the pouches up to 6 hours ahead and keep them refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator one-half hour before baking.

 

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Cajun Fried Wallleye or Bass

 

1/2 cup Bisquick

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup cornmeal

2 tsp. cajun seasoning

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 pounds walleye or bass fillets

oil for frying

 

Whisk together the Bisquick, milk and egg in a medium bowl. Mix the cornmeal, cajun seasoning and salt in shallow dish. Dip the filets into the wet batter first, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

Fry the fillets in hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels and serve. Ranch dressing makes a great dipping sauce for this.

 

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Sauteed Steelhead Steaks

 

3 tbls. olive oil

4-8 steelhead steaks, about 1 inch thick

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. basil

1 tbls. parsley

2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 tsp. Salt

pepper to taste

 

Heat oil in good sized skillet. Add the steaks and saute for 2-4 minutes, turn and finish cooking. Remove the steaks and keep them warm. Add onions, garlic and seasonings to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes then add the tomatoes. Arrange the steaks over the mixture, cover and cook over a medium low heat for about 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

 

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Yellow Perch, Cocktail Style

 

water

salt

1/4 of a lemon, sliced

1 pound of perch fillets, cut into bite sized pieces

seafood cocktail sauce

 

Bil water with salt and lemon added in a 3-quart pan. Reduce the heat to about medium and add the perch pieces. Cook for several minutes, until fish is opaque and beginning to curl up. Remove the fish and drop it into iced water. When fish has cooled completely, drain and serve with cocktail sauce as you would shrimp.

 

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Broiled Walleye or bass

 

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbls. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Dill weed

1 1/2 pounds fillets

 

Combine all ingredients except fish and mix well. Place fillets in a large ziplock bag and pour the marinading mixture over them. Push out air and seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, turning the bag over midway.

Spray the broiler ban with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the fillets from marinade and place them on the pan. Broil for 8-10 minutes, until fish is firm and opaque, and easy to flake with fork.

 

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Orange Walleye

 

walleye or other firm fish fillets

1 orange, quartered

butter

sesame seeds

garlic powder

onion powder

parsley

Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Rub the bottom of a glass bake dish with a small amount of butter or margarine. Lay fillets in one layer in the dish. Squeeze 2 or 3 orange quarters over the fish, then sprinkle sesame seeds, garlic powder, onion powder and parsley over the top. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese over the top if desired. Bake in a hot oven, 425 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.