Fried Smelts With Cucumber Salad

From Yankee Magazine — January 2010

Fish and Seafood Recipes

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Start to Finish Time: 20 minutes

• 2 pounds (about 12) smelts (2 to 5 inches long), gutted, fins removed
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (we like panko)
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus extra to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Cucumber Salad
• 1 lemon, cut into 6 pieces

Rinse smelts thoroughly, pat dry, and place in a medium-size bowl. Add milk and toss gently to coat. In a large shallow bowl (a pie tin works great), combine breadcrumbs, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Roll smelts in breadcrumb mixture and press gently until well coated.

Into a large cast-iron skillet, pour a thin layer of vegetable oil, coating the bottom of the pan; heat on medium-high. Add smelts, 4 or 5 at a time; don't overcrowd the pan. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through. Season to taste with salt.

Spoon a few tablespoons of Cucumber Salad onto a serving plate. Crisscross two smelts on top of salad. Repeat with the rest of the salad and smelts. Squeeze lemon over fish and serve while still warm.

Cucumber Salad

• 1 medium-size English cucumber (seedless)
• 1/2 cup drained plain yogurt (or use sour cream or crème fraîche)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Peel cucumber and slice it thinly. Place in a sieve to drain for about 10 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, and place in a medium-size bowl. Add yogurt, lemon juice, oil, and chopped shallot; stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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