Very small, pale silvery-gold fish, smelts are excellent when fried and eaten whole—head, tail, and all. Their thin bones crisp in the hot fat, then break with a crunch as they melt away in one bite. Smelts are underappreciated but make for a truly sustainable seafood choice. Dredging the smelts very lightly in bread crumbs seasoned with paprika, salt, and lemon and then frying them in hot lard crisps the fish, without hiding their flavor with a thick egg-rich batter. I like to serve them dipped in a simple aïoli seasoned with a touch of cayenne pepper.
SERVES: 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS:
AïOLI
- 1 egg yolk 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons water
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
SMELTS
- 1½ pounds cleaned smelts
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sourdough bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Lard, for frying
TO SERVE
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon, quartered
INSTRUCTIONS:
- To make the aioli, combine the egg yolk with the garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and water in a food processor; pulse once or twice to combine. Process continuously as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil, drop by drop, until all the oil is added and the aïoli is well emulsified. Spoon the aïoli into a little container, cover, and set it aside until you’re ready to serve.
- To prepare the smelts, rinse the fish inside and out, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside. In a shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs, salt, smoked paprika, and lemon zest. Add enough lard to a cast-iron frying pan so that it reaches about ¾ inch up the pan’s side when melted. Heat the fat over medium-high heat to about 350°F, or until bubbles appear when you drop in a few bread crumbs.
- Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet, dip the smelts in the beaten egg, dredge them in the seasoned bread crumbs, then place them in the hot fat. Fry until the fish are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to the towel-lined plate to allow any excess fat to drain away.
- Plate the fried smelts and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the quartered lemon for squeezing and the aïoli for dipping.
