Easy to fix…delicious to eat…fresh fish (Bluegill, above) from the lake makes a delightful change of pace for the holiday weekend. (Press Pros File Photos)
If you’re tired of burgers and brats for your holiday weekend get-together, let me share some thoughts on a different menu that’s easy to make and a delight to enjoy. And you might already have it…right there in your freezer.
By Ray Reilly for Press Pros
Short and sweet, some of you have contacted the website over the May column about which fish is best to eat…bluegill or crappie.
In fact, some have even shared with me their personal recipe for fixing up a mess of panfish and homemade hush puppies. And I say ‘homemade’, because I believe you when you say you make them from scratch…but you can literally buy ‘authentic’ southern recipe hush puppies now out of the grocer’s freezer. The homemade part is pure semantics, but I guess they came from somebody’s home.
That said, another reader from northwest Ohio wrote to ask about a quick favorite way to fix bluegill or crappie if you want to eat the fish you caught, cleaned and frozen, and you’re just waiting for that right time to enjoy something different.
Well, how about now?
That’s right. If you don’t want to eat hamburgers and hot dogs for the entire 4th of July weekend go to your freezer, get out those fillets, and let me share a quick way to eat deliciously…perfect for a hot, humid day when something lighter than beef and healthier than hot dogs just sounds better.
If you don’t have fish in the freezer, simply go to a grocery that has a good selection of fresh (?) fish. They won’t have blue and crappie, but they’re likely to have catfish (or perch) fillets and many people prefer either because it’s a sweet meat, there’s no bones, and they’re just as easy to fix.
Find an extra-good Whole Foods outlet and you may luck out with some fresh walleye fillets. It won’t be wild-caught, but you’ll never know the difference.
Then, if you don’t want to fix your own version of a cornmeal seasoning mixture, get a box of McCormick’s fish seasoning in the seafood section of the meat department. In most cases it’s just as good. Then, and this is my suggestion…put it in a zip-lock bag and add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of ground black pepper for a bit of added seasoning. A lot of people are sensitive to salt intake nowadays, so prepared mixes are often a little bland.
Another favorite brand is Zaterain’s fish seasoning, which does have just a bit of Cajun flavor. But you might still add a half teaspoon of one or the other (or both) just to spice it up a bit.
Take your fillets after thawing and dip them in a bowl of milk.
Then put them in that zip-lock bag with the seasoning and cover them liberally with the mix. Shake until completely covered.
To fry, you can either use a pan, or a deep-fryer. I prefer the deep fryer, because it’s easier and less messy. But place the fillets in whatever hot oil (making sure the oil is up to cooking temperature) you choose for about three minutes, depending on the size of the fillet. A larger catfish fillet will require a bit more time. Regardless, it’s going to sizzle vigorously until it’s cooked through and you can tell when they’re done…because they stop sizzling. It doesn’t take much, and be careful not to over-cook!
Then remove and place on a cooking sheet on a paper towel to drain away the excess cooking oil.
Combine with cole slaw, french fries, or some of those ‘home-made’ hush puppies you find at the grocery and you’ve got a meal fit for a king…and something different that’s worth repeating next 4th of July.
And of course, slice up a couple of fresh lemons for the juice and that last bit of fresh, tart, taste.
But the trick is this. Make sure you have your fishing all done, cleaned, frozen, and ready for the fireworks before the 4th of July. Whether you like bluegill, crappie, or catfish, July heat is not the time to catch the fish you want to eat.
‘Til next time, I’ve enjoyed it.
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