Seasonings: Panfish

By Kay Wethern
Photography by Bill Lindner

Lake Country comfort food—panfish fillet and garlic-roasted squash—fresh from the lakes and land.

It looks like Old Man Winter is settled in. But our Lake Country ice anglers are armed with augers, tip-ups, bobbers, and shelters—and extremely passionate about panfishing! After a full day of work, they muster up the fortitude to navigate in below-zero temps, on various snow vehicles, to get positioned on prime spots at sunset. They drill holes, rig up bait, drop the lines, and wait. Note, panfish are a schooling fish—they travel together. So, once there’s a hit, it’s usually contagious—bite after bite, offering action that captures the attention of the youngest anglers. This is a great opportunity for kids to learn about responsible fishing and the novelty of bringing home food from nature.

Crappies, sunfish, and perch are by far the most popular winter-time fish, just the right size for a skillet, thus the term, “panfish.” Often filleted, these mild-flavored fish are delicious baked, steamed, or fried—a welcome change from heavy winter foods. Fresh from the waters of Lake Country, panfish are exceptional table fare.

This recipe, created by fishing/food photographer, Bill Lindner, offers the palate a lovely combination of textures, flavors, and color.

Panfish Fillet with Garlic-Roasted Winter Squash and Beet Green Salad

Ingredients

Panfish
11⁄2 lbs. of panfish fillets (sunfish, crappies, or perch)
6 oz. half-and-half
3 Tbsp. peanut oil
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cloves fresh garlic
1 large shallot (or one small onion)

Breading for fish
1 c. Panko (a ready-made, flaky, flour-based preparation)
1⁄4 c. toasted sesame seeds
1 c. unseasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder

Squash
2 medium-sized squash (acorn, carnival, or delicato)
6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. rosemary (preferably fresh, if unavailable use dried)
1⁄3 c. chicken stock liquid (home- made or purchased)

Beet Green Salad
6 medium-sized red beets
16 small to medium beet green leaves and bits of stem for rosy color
1⁄4 c. blue, goat, or sheep cheese crumbles

Cooking Preparation & Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beets
Trim stems from bulbs leaving the rootlets intact. Wash beets well (no need to peel) and wrap in aluminum foil. Set aside.

Squash
Cut squash in half lengthwise. Spoon out and discard membranes and seeds. Wrap individual halves in aluminum foil. Set aside.

Whole bulb of garlic
Cut the top third off to expose the cloves. Wrap in aluminum foil and set aside.

Roast beets, squash, and garlic on middle rack of oven at 350 degrees for about one hour. Beets should bake until easily pierced with a knife tip. Slice into wedges or rounds. Squash is finished when soft in the middle. Garlic is ready when tender enough to squeeze the pulp out of each clove.

Breading for fish
Combine all breading ingredients in a shallow oblong dish, in preparation to dredge fillets before frying.

Panfish
Pour peanut oil into large frying pan. Set burner to medium heat. While the oil heats, dip fillets (one at a time) in half-and-half cream, dredge in breading mixture, and set aside on a platter.

To the oil that is heating, add butter, roasted garlic cloves, and shallots. Use a spatula to distribute evenly over heated surface until slightly brown.

Add fish fillets. Shake pan back and forth, and side to side to prevent scorching. (Do not flip fish over repeatedly and do not use tongs to move them around, as they will flake and fall apart, due to their delicate texture.) Fry on one side for about seven minutes, flip and fry on the other side for 2 minutes.

Squash
Spoon cooked squash out of the shells into one bowl. Discard shells. Put half of the mixture into a mini food processor with the roasted garlic cloves, rosemary, and chicken stock liquid. Purée. Mash the remaining half of the squash with a fork. Combine it with the puréed mixture.

Beets and beet greens
Snip stems and tear leaves. Sauté beet greens and stems in a little olive oil until lightly wilted. Add to plate and sprinkle with cheese crumbles.

Serves 4.