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Sautéed Smelts Or Anchovies

  • 15m Prep Time
  • 20m Cook Time
  • 35m Ready In

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  • Cuisine : World
  • Course : Snack

4 servings A superlative appetizer or beer snack; serve with a green salad for a memorable lunch. Please read About Searing, Sautéing, and Pan-Frying Fish.

Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1½ pounds smelts or fresh anchovies
  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk, or as needed to cover
  • 1 cup fine cornmeal or flour or a combination
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter or olive oil
  • Lemon wedges
  • 1
    • 4 to 6 garlic cloves, to taste
    • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • (White pepper to taste)
    • 1 cup olive oil (preferably ¾ cup refined olive oil and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon cold water
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Mince or mash to a paste: 4 to 6 garlic cloves, to taste
    2. Place in a bowl and whisk together with: 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; ⅛ teaspoon salt; (White pepper to taste)
    3. Very slowly, and whisking constantly, add, as for Mayonnaise I: 1 cup olive oil (preferably ¾ cup refined olive oil and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
    4. Whisk in: 1 teaspoon lemon juice; ½ teaspoon cold water

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1½ pounds smelts or fresh anchovies
  • 1 cup milk or buttermilk, or as needed to cover
  • 1 cup fine cornmeal or flour or a combination
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter or olive oil
  • Lemon wedges
  • 1 (Aïoli, Rémoulade Sauce, or Tartar Sauce)

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare for cooking: 1½ pounds smelts or fresh anchovies

  2. Step 2.

    Pour into a shallow dish: 1 cup milk or buttermilk, or as needed to cover

  3. Step 3.

    Mix in a shallow bowl: 1 cup fine cornmeal or flour or a combination; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper

  4. Step 4.

    Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat in a large skillet over medium heat: 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter or olive oil

  5. Step 5.

    When the fat is hot, dip the fish in the milk, coat it with the dredge, and add to the skillet in batches. Fry, turning occasionally, until both sides are golden brown and the flesh is firm and opaque, 6 to 8 minutes total. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm in the oven. Add more butter or oil to the skillet, if needed, and fry the rest of the fish. Serve piping hot with: Lemon wedges; (Aïoli, Rémoulade Sauce, or Tartar Sauce)

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