Enjoy the catch at home or when dining out

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By KATHIE SMITH
Toledo Blade
Monday, May 07, 2007

One of the traditional sights in Northwest Ohio is of fishermen lined up on the banks of the Maumee River each spring during walleye season. Most local fishermen catch the fish, clean the fish and take it home to cook it. What they can't use right away, they freeze.

When it comes to cooking freshwater fish, especially walleye and perch, contemporary cookbooks rarely include recipes for these favorites. Ditto for catfish. Most often, you'll find these fish on restaurant menus or at a sport-fisherman's table. But recipes are more likely to be shared between cooks than found in cookbooks.

When the fish are cleaned, they are usually dredged in flour or dipped in a batter and deep-fried or pan-fried. Some folks use a simple flour mixture seasoned with salt and pepper or a beer batter for dredging.

Therein lies the variety of coatings, batters and accompaniments that dress up these humble fish.

If you have a taste for spice, try Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Fillets. Each fillet is brushed with original Tabasco brand pepper sauce. Then the fish is pressed into a cornmeal mixture to coat well before pan-frying.

Another option is herb-crusted with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives and 2 tablespoons chopped basil.

Much of the catfish sold in the United States is farm-raised catfish. But sport fishermen around the country catch it in the wild.

In the supermarket, you might see imported catfish from China or other countries. These must be identified with country-of-origin labeling, according to Jason Stemm of the Catfish Institute. "Restaurants are exempt from country-of-origin labeling laws." However, consumers can ask about this at supermarkets and restaurants.

Walleye

Walleye, which can be found fresh or frozen in grocery stores, can be grilled, baked or fried. But it's most likely that regional Midwest cookbooks will offer recipes for this local fish.

Walleye is called the Great Lakes' most prized pan fish. Ohio is not the only Midwest state that loves walleye. It is the state fish of Minnesota. Thus the Almond-Crusted Walleye Sandwich is popular at the Marshall Field's (now Macy's) in Minneapolis, according to "The Marshall Field's Cookbook from Field's Culinary Council" (Book Kitchen, $24.95).

The cookbook advises that to bone a walleye fillet, find the row of pin bones and make two long cuts on either side to create a V-shaped wedge, which you then remove and discard. If walleye is not available, tilapia or trout are a good substitute for a fish sandwich.

In "The Common Grill Cookbook" by chef Craig Common (Sleeping Bear Press, $35), walleye is sauteed and served with citrus butter. The Common Grill is a popular restaurant in Chelsea, Mich., located 15 miles west of Ann Arbor.

Not far away on Interstate 94 in the town of Marshall, Mich., is the landmark restaurant Schuler's. A popular Hazelnut-Crusted Walleye served in the restaurant is also in the "Schuler's" cookbook by Hans Schuler and chef Jonathan Schuler (Huron River Press, $35). The recipe uses the standard breading procedure of flour, egg wash and then breadcrumbs to make the walleye ready to fry. When hazelnuts are not available, you can uses pecans or almonds in the breading. This breading can also be used for trout.

Perch

Most of the perch raised on Ohio's fish farms supplies restaurants and grocery stores as well as churches and other organizations that hold fish fries. Most of the fish farms are in Northeast or central Ohio, according to Geoff Wallat, an aqua-culture specialist at Ohio State University.

In 2003, both commercial fishers of yellow perch in Lake Erie and the aquaculture industry faced competition from imported fish from Turkey and other countries. Although it may be called Turkish yellow perch or European perch, the species is officially called "zander," which Wallat says is more closely related biologically to walleye. There is also an ocean perch, which is a saltwater species unrelated to the freshwater yellow perch.

Research has been conducted on comparing the flavor of the farm-raised yellow perch with three of its main competitors: wild-caught zander, wild-caught ocean perch and wild-caught walleye. When fish is battered and deep-fried, flavor differences are subtle.

But frying is how most people eat the fish. "If you are not routine fish eaters, it may be difficult to distinguish the differences," says Wallat.

Savvy consumers watch the labels for wild, farm-raised and imported fish. When they don't see the information on labels and menus, they are entitled to ask.

Often the imported fish is cheaper. But, imported fish may be raised under different conditions where the quality of the water is unknown. Into this, the laws of supply and demand may determine price.

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH FILLETS

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound catfish fillets

1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons original Tabasco brand pepper sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter, divided

Lemon wedges

Combine cornmeal, flour and salt on large plate. Brush catfish fillets with Tabasco sauce. Press fish into cornmeal mixture to coat well on both sides.

Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add fillets and cook 4 minutes. With spatula, carefully turn fish. Add remaining oil and butter. Cook 4 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with lemon wedges.

4 servings

_ McIlhenny Co.

HAZELNUT-CRUSTED WALLEYE

2 walleye fillets

1/2 cup flour; seasoned with salt and pepper

2 eggs, beaten with a little milk

1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup ground hazelnuts

Clarified butter or vegetable oil for frying

Lemon wedges for garnish

Mix breadcrumbs and hazelnuts together. Prepare fish by dredging it in the flour, dipping it in the egg wash and coating the fillets with the breadcrumb/hazelnut mixture.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and fry the walleye fillets in clarified butter until the crust is a golden brown. Flip the fish and repeat on the other side. The flesh of the fish should be white all the way through, but not dry and flaky. Serve with lemon wedges for garnish.

Serves 2

_ "Schuler's: Fresh Recipes & Warm Memories"

SAUTEED WALLEYE WITH CITRUS BUTTER

4 6-ounce pieces walleye, skinned and cut in half

1 cup milk

Salt to taste

Black Walnut Batter Mix, for dusting (recipe follows)

1 cup vegetable oil

Citrus Butter (recipe follows)

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped for garnish

Rinse walleye and soak in milk for 1 hour. Season fish with salt and dust in Black Walnut Batter Mix. Heat oil in large saute pan. Place fish in pan and cook until golden, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan. Serve with warm Citrus Butter and parsley garnish.

For the Black Walnut Batter Mix:

1/2 cup cracker meal

1/2 cup Fry Krisp batter mix

1/2 cup black walnuts, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together.

For the Citrus Butter:

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons orange zest

Place garlic and butter in blender and process until well blended. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in remaining ingredients.

_ "The Common Grill Cookbook"

FLASH-FRIED LAKE PERCH ROLLED IN CORNMEAL

2 pounds lake perch

3 quarts light cooking oil for frying

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups buttermilk

4 cups cornmeal

Cook's note: In the cookbook, the Flash-Fried Lake Perch is seasoned with Spiced Cornmeal and served with Mango Cream, Spicy Coleslaw and Buttermilk Biscuits. Spiced Cornmeal is made with a cornmeal mixed with a mixture of chiles.

Heat oil in electric fryer or heavy pot to 350 degrees. Season perch evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Place buttermilk and cornmeal separately into two shallow dishes. Dip perch first into buttermilk, and then immediately dredge in cornmeal. Shake off excess cornmeal. Flash-fry lake perch until crisp, golden and just cooked through.

4 servings

_"Eve Contemporary Cuisine Methode Traditionnelle"

(Kathie Smith is the Toledo Blade's food editor. Contact her at food@theblade.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)