Salt and Pepper Fried Smelts by: Bill 0 Comments Jump to Recipe Posted:7/31/2022Updated:7/29/2022 Little smelt fish get the Cantonese salt and pepper (white pepper, that is) treatment in this salt and pepper fried smelts recipe.We can’t resist the masterful light and crispy batter here, and the aromatic yet simple spices that are delicious with just about anything: shrimp, squid, and tofu.  We’ve even had it with king crab legs at Cantonese restaurants.It’s satisfying and delicious, letting the seafood shine and eliminating any fishiness!   Fried Smelt Memories  I have fond memories of fried smelts.

After graduating with my electrical engineering degree, I landed my first job in Binghamton, NY, and lived there for almost two years.  One of my software engineering coworkers introduced me to smelt netting in late spring/early summer, when smelt would run during their annual spawn.  The next day, we would get together and have a beer batter smelt fry with tartar sauce and fried potato wedges on the side.(It was a lot like the beer battered fish fry we did at Raquette lake in the Adirondacks!)  When we had surplus catches, we would freeze them in portions, breaking them out to pan fry them simply with salt and oil, or to make this tasty recipe for Cantonese Salt and Pepper Fried Smelts.What is a Smelt and Where Can I Find Them? Smelts are a family of small freshwater fish, the Osmeridae, typically found in rivers, streams a

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