Fried Fish

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Freshly caught and cleaned fish (bluegill, sunfish, crappie) from the lake, breaded and fried  served with tartar sauce and fried potatoes was a frequent summer meal at our house when I was growing up. I still love this meal!

Mom often served it with coleslaw. In later years this was always Marzetti’s dressing on a bag of shredded cabbage and carrots. In earlier years, she made a sweet and sour type of coleslaw with a vinegar dressing. The recipe she followed for that bore no resemblance to the slaw.

Lake Erie walleye

Breading Preparation:
First prepare a plate of flour with salt and pepper to taste. Next you’ll need a bowl of 1 beaten egg with about 1/2 Cup of milk mixed together. Last in line is a shallow bowl or plate of crackermeal.

Fish should be thawed if frozen and pre-soaked in water (lemon juice and salt added). Dip the fillets in the flour, then in the milk/egg, then in the crumbs. Do all the breading and then all the frying. I usually stack the breaded fillets on a plate with waxed paper in between the layers. Fry in hot oil (either in a skillet or a deep fryer) until lightly browned on each side. Oil should be about 375*.

 

To make homemade Tartar Sauce:
Mix Hellman’s mayo, some finely chopped onion, a dab of yellow mustard, some sweet pickle relish and a little of the pickle juice.

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To make fried potatoes:
Peel and thinly slice Idaho potatoes (as many as can fit in your skillet!) Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of Crisco oil. Heat the oil a bit first, then add the taties, salt and pepper and (secret ingredient alert) a sprinkle of white sugar. Fry the taties covered over medium or medium high heat until nicely browned turning them with a flat spatula 2 or 3 times. It should take 20 to 30 minutes until they are nicely browned and tender.

Black Bean Soup

This quick and easy soup tastes like you spent all day cooking.  I love it because it starts with cans of black beans so you can be eating soup in just about 1/2 an hour.

Ingredients:

2 T. of olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 1/2 t. cumin

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 or 2 chopped canned chipotles in adobo sauce (freeze the rest for another day)

3 cloves of garlic (more or less to taste)

1 to 1 1/2 t. salt

3 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed

3 to 4 cups broth (vegetarians use veggie broth or water; others can use chicken or beef broth)

1 T. lime juice (can use lemon)

cilantro

crushed red pepper flakes

black pepper

sour cream

How to:

1.  Turn the heat on!  🙂  In a dutch oven or other large pan, heat the olive oil.  Add the onion and cumin.  Stir.  Cook til onion gets soft (a few minutes).

2.  Add the chopped carrot, garlic and salt.  Cook about 5 or so more min. until vegs are well on the way to being done.

3.  While that stuff is cooking in the pot, open the cans of beans and drain them.  I use a colander over the sick and then rinse them well with cold water.

4.  Add the beans and the broth to the pot.  Add the chipotle chilies if you are using them.  Add just a couple, and be sure to remove the seeds or you will get a LOT of heat!  (unless that is what you like, then go for it of course!)  Simmer all this for about 10 or even 15 minutes (if you are hungry then go for the lower time).

5.  When things are smelling so good you can’t wait much longer, get out your potato masher or immersion blender and squish up some of the beans to thicken the soup up a bit.  I don’t like my black bean soup completely smooth, but you can suit yourself on the squish factor.

6. Now for the magic!  Add the lime juice (fresh squeezed is fabulous, but I live in WI so I often use the bottle stuff).  Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper, freshly ground black pepper to taste (about 15 grinds for me), and chop up a pretty large handful of cilantro and throw it in the pot.  Let that simmer just a few more minutes while you get out bowls, spoons and such.

7.  You can taste it to check for seasonings, but I’m sure it’ll be fine!  You are an excellent cook!  Serve it up with your lovely stainless steel soup ladle and sprinkle a bit more cilantro on top.  I like it with a small spoonful of really good sour cream (which I stir into the soup so it gets creamy looking).  OH MY GOSH it is GOOOD!

If you want to fill out a meal add a salad and maybe some crispy cheese quesadillas.
Or blue corn chips with guacamole.
Or cornbread muffins.

Margaritas would be excellent.

Enjoy!

Please let me know how you like this recipe.  Really.  I want to know.

This soup freezes well.  Not that there will be any left over.

Note:  This is inspired by a recipe of Mollie Katzen’s in her book “get cooking” but I’ve changed so many things it isn’t the same as that recipe anymore.