Classic Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies

• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 4 catfish fillets
• Oil
• Hush Puppies (recipe follows)

Combine first 5 ingredients. Coat catfish with mixture, shaking off excess. Fill deep pot half full with oil. Heat to 350 degrees F. Add catfish in single layer, and fry until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with Hush Puppies. Serves 4.

Hush Puppies

• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped or 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 cup milk
• Vegetable oil

Combine first 7 ingredients. Drop by tablespoons into hot oil (350 degrees F.). Fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Source: Home Cooking: April '95

Tarragon Panfried Pickerel

• 2 lbs. pickerel fillets
• 1/2 cup tarragon vinegar
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. onion salt

Dip fillets in vinegar, then in mixture of cornmeal, flour, pepper and onion salt. Heat about 1/4-inch fat or oil in frying pan. Fry coated fillets quickly on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Cook only until done, about 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Crispy Bake Pickerel Portions

• 1 lb. frozen pickerel fillets
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsps. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs or packaged breading mix
• 1 Tblsp. butter or fat

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil baking dish or bake-and-serve platter. Remove frozen fillet block from freezer 30 minutes before preparation. With a heavy knife cut block in 3 or 4 portions. Combine milk, salt and lemon juice. Dip fillets in milk mixture, then coat with crumbs. Place on baking dish and dot with butter. Bake until done, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 3.

Source: Recipes From Freshwater Country!

Tempting Tempura (Pike/Vegetables)

"Northern Pike, with its firm white flesh, is an excellent fish for tempura cookery. Add another fish or seafood and two or more vegetables to the raw food selection. "

Cut pike in 1x2-inch strips, vegetables in 2-inch lengths, 1/4-inch thick. Allow 1/3 lb. fish and 1/4 lb. vegetables per person.

Tempura Batter:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups ice-cold water
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Nest the mixing bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice. Combine beaten eggs with water. Add flour all at once; mix lightly with two or three good stirs with a French whip. Dip pike, seafood and vegetable portions individually in batter, then deep-fry in vegetable oil 3 inches deep, preheated to 375 degrees F. Food should cover only half the pan at one time to avoid cooling the cooking oil. Turn foods after 1 minute, then fry another minute.

When cooked, the batter is pale golden color, not brown. Drain on paper towel and serve as cooked or keep warm in a 250 degree F. oven. Dip cooked foods in tempura sauce.

Tempura Sauce:

• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1/8 tsp. monosodium glutamate (optional)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in boiling water. Add other ingredients. Mix well. Serve warm, portioning 1/4 to 1/3 cup sauce to each guest. Makes 3 cups.

Source: Recipes From Freshwater Country !

Whitefish Fillet Burgers

• 6 hamburger buns
• 1 lb. whitefish fillets
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup cornflake crumbs
• Fat or oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickle
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 6 slices tomato
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Few grains pepper

Cut buns in half; toast and butter. Cut fillets in 6 portions, dip in egg beaten with water, then coat with crumbs. Panfry. Mix chopped pickle, onion, mayonnaise and prepared mustard and spread on both halves of toasted buns. Place a hot fillet on bottom half of each bun and top with tomato slice. Season with salt and pepper ands secure top half of bun with a toothpick. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.

Source: Recipes From Freshwater Country

Baked Stuffed Trout

• 1 (8 oz.) cleaned trout per serving
• 6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• Pinch of sage
• 1/4 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. celery salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Wash trout in cold water; pat dry. Saute mushrooms, onions and parsley in 4 tablespoons butter until onions are soft. Toss onion mixture with bread crumbs. Add sage, onion salt and garlic salt, celery salt and pepper to taste. Stuff trout cavities and place in buttered baking pan. Brush trout with butter. Bake at 400 F. for 25 to 35 minutes. Serve hot. Place any extra stuffing in baking dish, cover and place in oven 20 minutes before serving.

Source: U.S. Trout Farmers Association

Hearty Halibut Chowder

(You can use any mild-flavored, firm-fleshed fish such as cod, tilefish, grouper or snapper instead.)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 2 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced (2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (8 oz.) stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 lbs. 1-inch thick halibut fillets, or steaks, skin and bones removed, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

1. Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes or until translucent.

2. Stir in potatoes and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are crisp-tender.

3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add chopped tomatoes and carrots. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

4. Gradually stir in milk, cream and the halibut. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or unitl fish is barely opaque in center.

5. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper.

Makes six 2-cup servings. Per serving: 439 cal., 36 g pro., 23 g car., 23 g fat, 100 mg chol. with butter, 85 mg chol. with margarine, 1,445 mg sod. Exchanges: 3/4 starch/bread, 2 vegetables, 3-1/2 medium-fat meat, 1/4 dairy/skim milk, 1 fat.

Source: Woman's Day: 4/5/94

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