the recipes Lollipop Bluegill ½ dozen bluegill caught in School Lake, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 1 egg 1 cup masa flour 1 cup white flour ½ cup corn starch 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste 2 cups peanut oil for frying Scale all fish by scraping a knife or spoon against the scales until the fish skin is smooth on both sides from the tail to the pectoral fin. Pull the pectoral fin back and cut between it and the gill flap (located over the gills) all the way through the fish, discarding the head end of the cut. Make a slice down the belly, pull the fish open and remove the guts. Using a very sharp knife, cut along the pectoral and the dorsal fins, following the bones within the body of the fish that anchor these fins. Use pliers to remove them and the pesky little bones that are attached (these bones are the biggest nuisance when eating a traditionally gutted fish). Hold your gutted and cleaned bluegill up by the tail and you see why Keef calls it a lollipop.
Keef’s prep tip: The rationale for this method—an advanced version of traditional gutting—is that it’s less wasteful (much higher yield of meat) than filleting, and also results in far fewer bones to pick around in the final product. This method takes time to master, but if you hold these freshwater gems as sacred as I do, you’ll find it is worth the hassle. Go slow, and by the end of a few dozen, you’ll be flying through them. Mix egg, masa, corn starch, flour and spices. Add a few teaspoons of water—until the batter is the consistency of crepe batter. Heat peanut oil in a frying pan. When a drop of batter sizzles in it, it’s ready. Dredge bluegill in batter and place in oil. Bluegill fry quickly, typically two to three minutes per side at most. When the meat flakes off the bones, they are ready.
Fresh Herb Tartar Sauce ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream 3 Tablespoons pickle juice Half lemon, squeezed 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 Tablespoons (or more) each of fresh dill, basil and chives, chopped very small Place all ingredients into a bowl and stir together. Serve with freshly fried bluegill.
APRIL 2023
0423 Lake to Table.indd 31
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3/7/23 2:40 PM
