Freshwater Feasts

Did you know that 90% of the seafood we eat in the United States is imported from other countries? The next time you look for fish at the grocery store, market, or restaurant, choose Mi Fresh Fish raised or caught right here in Michigan! Michigan fish are healthy, sustainable, and packed with nutrition — and buying from local producers helps support hard-working families and businesses in your community.

Mi Fresh Fish is delicious! Here’s a recipe from The Farm Restaurant in Port Austin featuring mouth-watering fried fish. Try it with yellow perch, walleye, whitefish, lake trout, or your favorite Mi Fresh Fish. The recipe works best with a deep fryer, but another wide, large, sturdy pan could be used instead. Be sure to read up on safe frying tips before you dive in. Serve your fried fish with tartar sauce, ketchup, or a simple squeeze of lemon juice.

Deep-fried yellow perch and whitefish

Ingredients:

• Great Lakes fish of your choosing (try yellow perch, walleye, whitefish, trout, or another favorite)
• Favorite fry batter (if you don’t have a go-to recipe, here are some ideas from CDKitchen and Food.com)
• Frying oil (canola is a top choice, but peanut or coconut oil also work great)

Cooking instructions:

1. Mix up fry batter according to preferred recipe.
2. Heat your frying oil to 350-375 degrees. Do not overheat your oil.
3. While oil is heating, rinse fish in a colander and drain for 5 minutes.
4. Cut fish into chunks. The size is up to you, but keeping the chunks about the same size as each other will help them cook evenly.
5. Dredge fish pieces in batter and set aside in a bowl or on a plate.
6. One by one, add fish pieces to your hot oil. Use tongs, avoid splashing the oil, and only add as many pieces as your fryer can handle at one time.
7. Cook fish for 5-7 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The fish should be a medium-gold color when cooked.
8. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to scoop the fried pieces onto a plate covered in paper towel or newspaper. Enjoy with tartar sauce, ketchup, a squeeze of lemon juice, or the dip of your choice!