COLUMBUS, OH A wise man once said there is no such thing as a bad tasting fish, its all in the way you prepare it. There is some truth in that statement as youre about to discover.
Let us begin with what is arguably the best tasting fish to come out of Ohios waters, the yellow perch. While many people enjoy the tasty, sweet meat of perch in deep-fried fashion, here is a fancier alternative that wont leave that fried fish smell hanging in your kitchen.
First, melt a stick of butter in a shallow 10 by 14 inch pan. Add 1/4 cup of white wine, lay the perch filets in, salt and pepper them, then cover them with aluminum foil. Bake the perch at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, then pull the pan from the oven, sprinkle shredded parmesan on the filets and put them back in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.
It seems that every fish has its fans, and those who catch and eat crappies claim they rival perch for flavor, especially when taken from the cold waters of springtime. This plentiful panfish, found in many of Ohios lakes, has a nice, mild flavor. As the reference implies, panfish fit easily into a skillet and the recipe is equally simple. According to one crappie fan you just batter em, fry em and eatem with french fries!
The same is true for preparing the firm, white meat of a walleye. Simply dip the filet in a mixture of egg and milk, roll it in a light mixture of bread crumbs and drop it into the frying pan. Since overcooking any fish greatly diminishes its edibility, monitor the progress of the first piece placed in the pan. As soon as the center starts to flake, your walleye is table ready.
Now for a real surprise treat, one that will amaze your friends and family -- sheepshead.
Thats right, a fish shunned by many, a fish considered rough and maybe only suitable for putting under your tomato plants. This recipe is recommended for use only in the spring and fall when the water of Lake Erie is real cold, below 55 degrees. Sheepshead seem to be cleaner and firmer when the water is cold, too mealy and soft any other time.
Skin the sheepshead, cut the belly off, trim all of the red stuff (blood lines), saving just the big filet back. Cut the filets into one-inch chunks. Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop the fish in and let them boil for 90 seconds. Then pour the fish chunks into a colander and immediately douse with cold water. Pat the fish dry and refrigerate. After theyre chilled take the sheephead chunks out and serve them with a cocktail sauce that is three parts catchup, one part straight horseradish. Your guests will leave believing theyve just had poor mans shrimp.
For dipping almost any fish, you can make your own tartar sauce with mayonnaise, dill, sour cream and fresh grated onion. For the best, tangy tartar, make it up the night before, let it chill and be sure to use a lot of fresh dill.
Ohios lakes, streams, ponds and rivers are teeming with tasty, nutritional fare. In the kitchen or around the campfire, enjoy the fruits of fishing Ohio!
Anglers are reminded that while most fish in Ohio are safe to eat and are a delicious addition to a healthy diet, a few have restrictions on how many should be consumed. For more information, the Ohio Sportfish Consumption Advisory is available wherever fishing licenses are sold.