Most Yukoners like to eat fish, but sometimes people want a different taste sensation. Here are some fairly simple options to try:
Tasty Fish Treat #1
Ingredients
Arctic grayling, filleted and cut into 1-inch squares
Shake ’n Bake, for coating
Oil, for deep frying
Method
Shake the fish in a ziplock bag with old-fashioned Shake ’n Bake (or any other preferred dry bread-crumb-based coating). Deep-fry in your favourite oil for 3–4 minutes, then remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Pike, burbot or stocked lake rainbows all work fine in this simple, delicious method.
Tasty Fish Treat #2
Ingredients
Pike fillets, sliced into fingers ¾- to 1-inch wide
HP sauce
Garlic powder (optional)
Method
Brush fillets with HP sauce on both sides. Add garlic powder if you wish. Broil or barbecue on perforated tinfoil (to let juices out) or, carefully, in a stainless veggie basket on the barbecue.
Tasty Fish Treat #3 (Fish Chunk Appetizers)
Ingredients
Fillets, cut into 1-inch (or so) cubes or chunks
Italian salad dressing (enough to soak fish)
Bacon strips (one per fillet)
Method
Soak fish in a zesty Italian salad dressing for 15–20 minutes. Wrap each fish cube in a partly cooked bacon strip secured with a toothpick. Cook gently on the barbecue or in a stainless veggie basket, for about 5–6 minutes, to be sure bacon is done.
Tasty Fish Treat #4 (Poor Man’s Lobster #1)
Ingredients
Pike or burbot fillets, cut into chunks or strips
3 tbsp. salt
Butter, melted
Garlic, crushed
Method
Fill a fry-pan with water and bring water to a rolling boil with about 3 tablespoons of salt. Place fish pieces in the hot water and simmer for 4–5 minutes until they firm up, similar to lobster meat (pieces will float when done). Remove and drain, then dip in butter-garlic mixture.
Tasty Fish Treat #5 (Poor Man’s Lobster #2)
Ingredients
3 L water
3 tbsp. salt
½ cup lemon juice
1 medium onion, chopped
3 pieces celery, chopped
Pike or burbot, filleted and cut into chunks or strips
1 bay leaf
Butter, melted
Garlic
Method
Bring water with salt, lemon juice, onion and celery to a rolling boil. Boil 4–5 minutes, then add fish and bay leaf and boil for another 3–4 minutes. Remove fish and drain, brushing with melted butter-garlic mixture. Broil or barbecue for 2 more minutes and serve with garlic butter.
Tasty Fish Treat #6 (Fish Cakes)
Ingredients
2 cups potatoes, mashed
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 green onions, finely sliced
Tarragon, to taste
1 large egg, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fish, cooked (broken into small pieces)
Oil, for frying
Butter (for added flavour)
Method
Boil and mash 2 cups of potatoes and garlic (leftovers work well.) Let cool and add green onions, tarragon, egg, and salt and pepper. Mix fish pieces into potato mixture and form 1-inch patties. Fry in your favourite oil with butter added for flavour, until golden brown. These will usually hold together well for serving, but a gentle touch always works best.
Tasty Fish Treat #7
Ingredients
Salsa (for spreading)
Pike fillets (or halibut steaks or chunks)
Butter, melted (for spreading)
Method
Spread salsa on pike fillets or halibut steaks or chunks. For an interesting new taste for these fish pieces, just brush on some melted butter and then spread your favourite salsa over the top of the whole piece. This can be broiled in the oven, barbecued on perforated tinfoil (to allow juice to escape) or wrapped in tinfoil in the oven or on the barbecue. If the fish has the skin on it, there’s no need for the tinfoil (except for baking). It is easily overcooked, either way, so keep checking to establish a cooking time, about 8–9 minutes.
