James Beard's New Fish Cookery - James Beard [112]
Pike Perch
In spite of the name, pike perches are not related to pike. They are, rather, members of the same family as the yellow perch. There are three well-known varieties: blue pike perch, yellow pike perch — also called wall-eyed pike — and sauger or sand pike. These are excellent food fishes with firm white flesh.
Yellow pike perch are found plentifully in streams along the Middle Atlantic seaboard, westward to the Mississippi Valley, and north through the Great Lakes region to Hudson Bay. There is a large commercial catch each year, and sizable amount is caught and cooked by sportsmen. The sauger is found farther west in the Missouri Valley region. The blue pike perch likes deep water and is caught mainly in the Great Lakes.
Most of the perch caught are small fish weighing around 1 to 11/2 pounds, although occasionally larger ones are marketed. A large proportion of the commercial catch is filleted, but the fish are also sold whole.
PIKE PERCH SAUTÉ MEUNIÈRE
The fish may be cleaned and split or, if small enough, they may be sautéed whole. Follow directions for sauté meunière, page 10. Fillets may be treated in the same manner.
VARIATIONS
1. After removing the fish to a hot platter, add blanched almonds to the pan and toss them about until they brown. Pour the almonds and the pan juices over the fish and serve with lemon wedges.
2. Sauté mushroom slices with the fish.
3. Add chopped parsley and white wine to the pan juices, bring to a boil, and pour over the fish.
PAN-FRIED PIKE PERCH
Follow directions for pan-frying crappies, page 322.
OVEN-FRIED FILLETS OF PIKE PERCH
Follow directions for oven-frying fillets of whitefish, pages 345–346.
BAKED PIKE PERCH
Clean and wash the fish. Oil a large flat baking dish and cover the bottom with chopped green onions. Arrange the fish on top, dot them with butter and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add enough white wine to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake at 425° according to the Canadian cooking theory (page 8). Baste during the cooking process, and add more wine and butter if needed.
VARIATION
Just before the fish are done, sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Sheepshead
The sheepshead is the only freshwater relative of the drums and the croakers — the fish that are heard as well as seen. They love to play tunes, and you may hear their entertaining music on still nights.
The flesh of the sheepshead is white, lean, and tender, with an excellent flavor. You will find sheepshead on the market in the Middle West and the South, whole and filleted. They come in sizes from 1 to 12 pounds, though some sheepshead have been known to weigh 60 pounds.
Cook sheepshead as you would drum, croaker, or weakfish.
Suckers
When I was about eight years old, my neighborhood contemporaries were always running off on fishing excursions and coming home with suckers — and I was never much impressed. I still think the sucker is a dull fish, a sort of underwater vacuum cleaner. It is plentiful, however, in country streams and many people enjoy eating it. In fact, there is a good commercial market for suckers.
The sucker is not a fat fish, and needs the lift of a good sauce to make it palatable.
BROILED SUCKER
Suckers must be lubricated well with oil or butter before broiling. Follow the general directions on pages 9–10. Serve with lemon butter (page 31) or anchovy butter (page 32).
PAN-FRIED SUCKER
Small-sized suckers may be pan-fried whole. Clean them and soak for about 1/2 hour in milk with salt and freshly ground black pepper added. Roll them in crumbs and sauté in butter or bacon fat according to the Canadian cooking theory (page 10). Serve with a tartar sauce (pages 35–36) or rémoulade (page 35).
BRAISED SUCKER
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups tomato paste or strained canned tomatoes
4 pounds of sucker
Salt
Freshly ground black