Pickerel with Brown Butter and White Asparagus
May 11, 2010
Pickerel and perch are lean, finely flaked fish that are perfect for frying – especially by the lakeside when freshly caught.
The pink flesh of salmon looks lovely with the orange-and-green-flecked caramelized onions. If you wish, choose other types of tender fish, such as halibut, snapper, pickerel or tilapia.
The fish is poached, then set in a savoury vegetable stock. Traditionally carp is used because it is a symbol of strength, but you can also use pike, pickerel or whitefish.
Serve with: Crusty French bread and steamed green vegetables. This tried-and-true, simple yet elegant French home or bistro preparation can be used for practically any fish fillet: pickerel, catfish, tilapia, flounder, turbot, halibut, grouper, snapper or even mackerel.
Treat delicate white fish, such as tilapia or pickerel as simply as possible, such as pan-frying with salt and pepper, and serve with steamed vegetables. This yogurt sauce complements the fish extremely well but it is also great with curries.
Cost: $4.72/serving
Any fish will work beautifully, but pickerel, whitefish or lake trout are especially tasty. There are several curry pastes available, so experiment to find one you like (try Thai red curry paste for a really fiery dish). Serve this saucy curry over rice or rice noodles.
Diningding (pronounced with short "i"s as in "thing") is an Ilocano specialty from northern Philippines, where vegetables and fish play the largest role in cuisine. Use this recipe as a guideline and vary the vegetables according to availability and freshness. In Canada, black cod (sablefish), salmon or halibut are especially good for diningding, but freshwater fish, such as pickerel or whitefish, also makes a tasty dish.
Northwest Territories
Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories is a destination for fishermen from around the world. A shore lunch of fresh-caught fish is a must when fishing in N.W.T. In this version of the classic shore lunch, inspired by Greg Robertson of Bluefish Services, whole wheat flour replaces all-purpose flour and a touch of cornmeal adds a pleasant crunch to the coating. Use the freshest firm white-fleshed fish you can find, such as whitefish, pickerel, halibut or cod.
For the real Greek experience, you first pick out the fish from the iced ones on display in any taverna worth its lemons. Then it's whisked away for grilling and comes back to the table, where an accomplished waiter bones it – a formidable task if you're not an expert, especially when diners are awaiting their portions. Our filleted fish is easier on the cook, and since getting fish from the Mediterranean is chancy across Canada, we're recommending pickerel. Other fish can be just as tasty, so choose whatever's freshest.
