Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

Friday, September 14, 2012

My Father is a fisherman and often gifts us with beautiful fresh fish, which he has cleaned, filleted and skinned.  These were beautiful freshwater lake trout and lake Bass.
They are delicate fish and thus require a delicate cooking method.

My favorite way to prepare these fish in the hot summer months is to grill them outside.  There is no smell leftover in the kitchen and no mess to clean up afterward.   This is really more of a baking method than a grilling method.  I still get a crunchy, buttery crust without frying and without extra calories.

Technique:
First prepare the foil.  I use two layers of aluminum foil and fold the corners up to make a disposable pan.  You could use a real pan a very long time to warm the pan, so I find the foil works best.  Spray the foil with misted oil or any kitchen spray.
  • Wash the fish and pat them dry.  
  • Place one large egg in a small bowl and whisk it well. 
  • Place some white flour in a bowl. 
  •  Very lightly season some Pahnko (Japanese shredded) bread crumbs with just salt and pepper. That's all I add because I don't want to overpower the flavor of the delicate fish.
  • Dip the fish in the white flour and shake off the excess. 
  • Dip the floured fillets into the egg wash, again shaking off excess. 
  • Lay them in the bread crumbs and coat well.  Shake off the excess crumbs.
  • Lay the fillets on the prepared foil.  Place a few pea-sized pieces of unsalted butter on top of the fillets to help brown and crisp the crust.  Then  place the foil/pan on your grill. 
  • Cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat or until the fish is just cooked through. 
  • The time will definitely vary depending on the thickness of your fish.  Don't over cook them.

I like to serve the fillets with scallion brown butter. It imparts a nut-like flavor.
  • Melt a few tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small skillet.  Add some chopped scallions, onion, or shallots.  Cook until the scallions are browned and the butter is browned but not burned.  I like my butter dark, just before the burn point.  The darker the butter the more flavor.  Watch the butter carefully!  Now is not the time to answer the phone.
Drizzle the browned onion butter over the fillets just before serving.  This butter is not burned even though it looks very dark.  You can cook the butter less if you like.  Serve with lemon wedges.
This cooking technique works well for any variety of fish fillet.  Just vary the cooking time depending upon the thickness of your fish.

8 comments:

  1. Oh you lucky girl to get fresh fish from your Dad! That looks wonderful -- my mouth is watering!

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  2. That looks great! I love fish, but not the cooking smell, so this is great to be able to cook outside!

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  3. Bonnie, with the butter sauce and panko, it sounds yummy. Your new fall picture of your country home is stunning with the deep blue and the goldens. Joni

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  4. Yummy, I like to eat fresh fish but we rarely keep anything we catch. Love the fall pic.

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  5. We have lake trout and bass in our lake too. Now if I could just get my fisherman out on the lake to catch a few, I would be happy. Your recipe looks wonderful.

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  6. Looks like a great way to cook fish!
    Thanks for posting the recipe.

    Love the picture of your S.C. house. Looks so welcoming :)

    Hope this is a great week for you!

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  7. I haven't had trout or bass in such a long time. My dad likes to fish too, but haven't eaten any fish at his house in a while. Do you have an extra plate for me! Yum!

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  8. I love fish, any fish, and am willing to sample them cooked any way (hint, hint)... :-)

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