Capture your wildest

CULINARY MOMENTS

You never know where you’ll be when culinary inspiration strikes. From diving into new experience to perfecting a time-honored recipe, the most exceptional culinary moments can happen both in and ut of the ktichen - and they all deserve to be shared with the world.

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bass that got caught by fisherman
 
 

You caught it…..Now what do you do with it….

First you need to prepare the catch…..

Scale the fish if you want to cook them whole or if you like fillets with the skin left on and fried crisp. Gut the fish with a sharp knife and rinse out their belly cavities. If you plan to cook the fish whole, use your knife or a pair of kitchen shears to cut away the spiny fins from their backs.

Fillet the fish, if you wish, by cutting along the backbone from the head to the tail. Turn the fish over and remove the second fillet the same way.

Remove the rib bones by sliding your knife underneath them, angling the blade toward the bones to minimize waste. Make one long, smooth stroke to take off the rib bones and the thin membrane holding them together. Repeat for the remaining fillets.

Skin the fillets, if you wish, by making a shallow diagonal cut at the tail until your knife blade reaches the skin. Hold the narrow tail in place with one hand, then draw your knife along the skin until it reaches the end and frees the fillet from the skin. The boneless fillets are now ready to cook.

Pan-Frying Your Catch

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season your fillets or small whole fish with salt and pepper, then dredge them lightly in flour or fine cornmeal. Shake off any excess.

Pour a half-tablespoon of your favorite cooking oil into the skillet and fill the pan loosely with fillets. Don't overcrowd the pan. There should be plenty of space between the portions, so steam can escape from the cooking fish and let them become crisp. Fillets should always be started with the skin-side facing up.

Cook fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, until they're lightly golden and beginning to turn from translucent to white. Whole small fillets will take longer, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

Turn the fillets, and cook for approximately the same length of time on the second side. The thickest part of the fillet should just be turning white if you pull the fillet apart with the tip of your knife. Whole filets are finished when the flesh lifts away from the backbone.

Remove the perch from your skillet and serve them immediately, or keep them warm in your oven while you fry any additional portions.