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COOKIN' OLD SCHOOL: ONION-CRUSTED WHITE PERCH


There are some things that are timeless- like catching white perch in the winter, and then cooking a delicious fish dinner. Oh sure, white perch is fantastic from the fryer, but I am going old school:: Onion-Crusted White Perch

This time of year, largemouth are finicky, hunkered down in their holes with thoughts of pre-spawn dancing in their heads. Stripers are off limits in a lot of areas. But White Perch on light tackle? There's a day of fun followed by some good eatin'. The flesh of White Perch is a lot like the black bass of summer, so a lot of your black bass favorites would do just fine. But In the winter, I like to throw it back a great tasting, rib sticking, tummy warming favorite. Remember what mom used to throw on the green bean cassarole? RIGHT! Crispy onions! Here's what you need:


  • 2 lbs fillets: This is not an exact science, if you want two fresh white perch fillets per person for four, you will need 6-8 perch by my estimate

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • Creole seasoning ( or Old Bay or whatever is your favorite. I use Emeril's Seafood Spice.

  • 1 (6-ounce) package french-fried onions, finely crushed ( crushing is always the fun part)

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish.

  • Lemon wedges

Here's what you do:


  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Lay fillets out in a ceramic baking dish just large enough to hold them.

  • Brush with olive oil and dust with a little of the creole seasoning, Don't go crazy with this, you are going to put more in the sauce (see below)

  • Sprinkle the tops with the crushed fried onions.

  • Bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes or until fish begins to flake apart.

  • MEANWHILE... Mix together the mayo, the one tteaspoon of creole seasoning and the horse radish. You are making a sort of cajun tartar sauce.

Puttin' it all together:

  • Serve fish with creole sauce (on the side so people can sauce to their taste) and lemon wedges.

BON APPETIT!


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