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As I'm sure you can imagine, we eat a lot of fish! The freezer is usually full of walleye, smallmouth bass, perch and steelhead trout. (The fish will easily keep for a couple of years if deep frozen in water). While we all enjoy fish, it can get boring if always prepared the same way. I have tried a lot of recipes over the years, some were really good and others were awful! From basic frying to more adventurous ideas, here are a few of my favorites.
Although this is not the healthiest way to prepare fish, it makes a great picnic food since it is good cold as well as hot. This is the way I usually fix perch, but it works for bass and walleye also. I don't recommend frying for steelhead because it is a more oily fish. All you need is fish fillets, breading and oil. For the breading, you can use a mix of flour/salt/pepper or try a store bought one. I use Fryin' Magic because it coats evenly and doesn't fall off when you cook it. You can also add seasoning to the breading, I use lemon-pepper and dried thyme leaves. Coat fish with breading and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Fish should flake easily when it's done.
Baking is the way I usually prepare fish because it's fast and easy. Baking can be done with breading or without. For smallmouth bass, I use breading (Bakin' Miracle) with lemon-pepper and thyme. Arrange breaded fillets on greased cookie sheet (I use cooking spray) and bake according to directions on breading package.
For walleye or steelhead, I don't use breading. Arrange fillets on greased cookie sheet. For walleye, coat fillets with cooking spray to seal in moisture. (This is not needed with steelhead since it's an oilier fish). Season with lemon-pepper, dried thyme leaves, minced fresh garlic cloves, or garlic powder, and salt. Bake (400 degrees), broil, or grill until fish flakes. You can vary the seasonings according to your taste, just experiment until you find a combination you like.
Ingredients:I always use fat free Miracle Whip when I make this.Combine ingredients in small bowl. The amounts of the ingredients can be varied to suit your tastes. I like a lot of pickle relish in mine. Any sauce not used can be refrigerated for a few days in a sealed container.
- 1 c. Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
- 1/2 c. Sweet Pickle Relish
- 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
Ingredients:Arrange fillets in shallow baking dish. Season with salt, garlic and lemon-pepper and sprinkle with almonds. Cover and bake at 400 degrees until fish flakes, then uncover and broil to brown the almonds. This can also be done on the grill.
- Steelhead fillets
- Slivered Almonds
- Lemon-pepper
- Minced fresh garlic or garlic powder
This is an easy way to prepare steelhead, and works well with walleye also. Put fillets in a bowl or large ziploc bag. Pour one large bottle of Italian salad dressing over the fish. ( I use a lowfat or fat free dressing ). Refrigerate and allow fish to marinate for about 4 hours. Arrange fillets in shallow baking dish and bake ( 400 degrees ), broil, or grill until fish flakes easily.
Ingredients:Chop bacon and fry slowly until crisp. Lift out bacon bits and set aside. Add onions to bacon grease and cook until transparent. Add potatoes, salt, and water. Cut fish into 2 inch squares and add to pan. Cook until potatoes are tender and fish flakes, about 20 minutes. Add milk and heat through. Before serving, add butter, bacon bits and parsley - Do not stir. For a low fat variety, omit bacon, cook onions in 1 tbsp. olive oil, and use skim milk.
- 1 lb. perch or walleye fillets
- 1/4 lb. bacon
- 3 onions, sliced
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 c. boiling water
- 3 c. milk
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
Ingredients:Heat oil in heavy pot. Add garlic, onion, and parsley. Saute until onions are transparent. Add water, fish, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat and simmer until fish is done.
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 4 c. cold water
- 2 lbs. perch or walleye fillets, cut in 2 inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients:Heat oil in heavy pot. Add garlic, onion, and pepper. Saute until onions are transparent. Add wine, tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hrs. Add fish and simmer until fish is done. This soup is best after being refrigerated for a day or two to let the flavors blend.
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 2 14 to 16 oz.cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 c. dry red wine or chicken broth
- 2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs. perch, walleye, or bass cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients:1 tsp. onion powder
Combine spices (or use store bought blackening seasoning instead). Brush fish with some of the melted margarine,butter, or olive oil. Coat fillets evenly on both sides with pepper mixture.- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. ground white pepper
- 1 tsp. ground red pepper
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
or 3 tbsp. olive oil- Walleye fillets
This will really smoke when you cook it, so it's usually best to do it on the grill. If you cook it inside, make sure the area is well ventilated and turn on your exhaust fan, if you have one.
If you are using the grill, remove grill rack. Place a cast-iron 12 inch skillet directly on hot coals. Heat until a drop of water sizzles in skillet, then add fish. Drizzle with remaining margarine, butter, or olive oil. Cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until fish flakes.
Fish has very little saturated fat, but is a good source of Omega 3's (especially steelhead), special fats that seem to help protect against artery disease. It is also rich in vitamins B12 and B6, as well as some other essential nutrients. (Source: Prevention Magazine's Nutrition Advisor)
These are just a few of the ways to prepare the fish you catch on your CapriFleet charter. There are many others, and you can even use recipes for certain varieties of saltwater fish. I am always looking for new ideas, so if you have any good fish recipes, Email them to me at Lesa@caprifleet.com or mail to:
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