Author Shares His Recipe For Fried Bluegill

(As heard on The Joy Cardin Show, June 25, 2014.)

Author John Motoviloff talks about cooking with ingredients from hunting, foraging, and living off the land in his new book, “Wild Rice Goose and Other Dishes of the Upper Midwest.”

One such ingredient: bluegill, which he said he fishes for before going to work in the morning. Here’s a recipe for fried bluegill from the book.

“Cathy Czachor’s Fried Bluegill”

• 1 pound bluegill (or other pan fish) fillets
• Breading of choice: mix such as Shore Lunch or Fry Magic, bread crumbs or ½ cup each of flour and cornmeal seasoned with salt and pepper
• Cooking oil

Line cookie sheets with paper bags or newspaper. Bread fish and shake off excess crumbs. Using a specially designed fryer like a Fry Daddy, an electric skillet, or even a sauce pan or iron skillet, heat up oil (1 inch deep) until it’s hot and bubbling.

Cook fillets a few at a time in hot oil, turning when one is done and repeating on the other side. Remove fillets with slotted spoon; drain. Place drained fillets on platter in warmed oven. Serve with lemon wedges, coleslaw, and potato choice.