Harissa and Honey Fried Smelt with Red Pepper Couscous
I love a simple smelt fry, but I created this Harissa and Honey Fried Smelt Recipe to elevate the skinny little fish into something my wife and daughter would want to eat.WHAT IS SMELT?Rainbow smelt are a silver-colored fish about 6 to 9 inches long. They are native to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and considered an exotic species to Lake Superior where Minnesotans will go to catch them. Smelt actually entered the Great Lakes accidentally in 1912 when they escaped from an inland lake in Michigan where they had been stocked as forage fish. SMELT FISHING IN MINNESOTASmelt fishing usually starts in mid to late April when the water in the tributaries of Lake Superior warms into the upper 40 degrees F range. Smelt are very sensitive to light and run in shallow water at night, so most smelt fishing takes place at night, when the fish are moving into the streams. Smelt can rarely jump over the first set of rapids upstream from the mouth, which is why the best netting is usually near the lake. If you are going to try smelt fishing, you'll need the following items: a pair of hip boots or waders, a long-handled net, and a bucket for the netted fish. Wade into the stream near the mouth and sweep your net through water behind riffles, boulders, or anything else that blocks the current and gives smelt a place to rest as they try to swim upstream. Some people also pull a seine net for smelt along the beach at Park Point in Duluth. If you would like to try smelt fishing on the North Shore of Lake Superior, read all about it on the Minnesota DNR website.FRIED SMELT RECIPE1. In a large bowl whisk together the harissa and honey and set aside.2. Cook the couscous according to the package directions and mix in another bowl with roasted red peppers, minced garlic, cilantro, red onion, butter, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and set aside.3. On a large plate, combine the flour and Old Bay seasoning and toss the smelt in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.4. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan by about ¼ inch. Let oil heat up for 2 minutes.5. When the oil is hot, arrange half of the smelt in one layer with room between each one and fry for two minutes. Turn and fry for another one minute until they are golden brown and crispy and transfer to the bowl with the harissa and honey and toss well to coat. Repeat the process and fry up the remaining smelt.6. Serve the spicy fish over the cooked couscous, sprinkle with a little extra Old Bay seasoning, and serve immediately.MORE FISH RECIPESIf you are looking for more great ways to use some of that fish in your freezer, be sure and check out some of our favorite fish recipes:– Potato Crusted Catfish– Catfish "Scallops"– Potato Chip Fish Cakes– Blackened Catfish with Corn Succotash- Salmon Chowder- Fish Tacos- Pickled Northern PikeCONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITYDid you make this Fried Smelt Recipe? I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of this dish and all of your wild game and fish creations. Be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #wildgameandfish and tagging me @wildgameandfishDid you enjoy this Fried Smelt Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 dozen smelt, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups couscous
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the harissa and honey and set aside.
- Cook the couscous according to the package directions and mix in another bowl with roasted red peppers, minced garlic, cilantro, red onion, butter, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and set aside.
- On a large plate, combine the flour and Old Bay seasoning and toss the smelt in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan by about ¼ inch. Let oil heat up for 2 minutes.
- When the oil is hot, arrange half of the smelt in one layer with room between each one and fry for 2 minutes. Turn and fry for another 1 minute until they are golden brown and crispy and transfer to the bowl with the harissa and honey and toss well to coat. Repeat the process and fry up the remaining smelt.
- Serve the spicy fish over the cooked couscous, sprinkle with a little extra Old Bay seasoning, and serve immediately.
