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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
7 minutes
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Serves
4
Author Notes
The bream, a flat fish that's at its best when about a pound, slightly larger than the outstretched had of an average-sized man, should ideally be cooked immediately after being caught. The preferable way to do this is outdoors, in an iron skillet, over either an open fire or on a camping stove, on the bank of the lake where you just caught them. Bream "bed" in the late spring/early summer in the South, and that's when it's easiest to catch a "mess" of them, a "mess" being enough to feed however many people you're planning to feed. Favorite accompaniments are home fries, hushpuppies, cole slaw, potato salad, watermelon, homemade ice cream, gallons of iced tea and a cooler of cold beer. —Kayb
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Ingredients
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1 to 3
fish per person
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1 cup
yellow cornmeal
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1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
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3/4 teaspoon
black pepper
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1 teaspoon
sweet paprika
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1 cup
shortening, or peanut oil
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Wedged lemons, for serving
Directions
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Clean fish by making an incision the length of the belly, and scooping out the organs.
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Hold fish by tail, and with a spoon or the dull edge of a table knife, scrape all the scales off to a point level with the eyes. Head may be removed or not at this point, as you choose.
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Rinse fish under cold running water, and then put in a pan of cold water until ready to cook.
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Mix cornmeal (1 cup will do about 6-8 fish; increase proportionately with spices for more) with spices in a shallow bowl.
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Heat about 1 inch of oil or melted shortening until hot and shimmering on the surface. Test with a bit of hushpuppy batter; if it sizzles and begins to change color immediately, it's ready.
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Remove fish from water -- DON'T DRY IT OFF -- shake the excess water off, and dredge in cornmeal mixture. Make sure cornmeal coats the inside of the fish as well.
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Lay fish gently in hot oil. Fry only as many fish at once as will fit into skillet without touching. Fry until golden brown, (about three minutes), turn, and fry for about two more minutes until that side is golden. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or brown paper bags, preferably on racks so they will not sit in the drained oil.
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Add more oil as needed to keep level at about 1 inch as you fry the remaining fish. Serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze over just before devouring.
I'm a business professional who learned to cook early on, and have expanded my tastes and my skills as I've traveled and been exposed to new cuisines and new dishes. I love fresh vegetables, any kind of protein on the grill, and breakfasts that involve fried eggs with runny yolks. My recipes tend toward the simple and the Southern, with bits of Asia or the Mediterranean or Mexico thrown in here and there. And a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a float in the lake, as pictured, is a pretty fine lunch!
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