How to Cook Manitoba Pickerel

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The Canadian province of Manitoba has a culinary favorite nicknamed the Manitoba pickerel, otherwise known as the walleye, or Sander vitreus. It's a predator fish common throughout Canada and northern United States. Manitoba’s Northern Aqua Farms proudly claims it to be the best tasting of all freshwater fish. When cooked, it yields white, flaky and mildly flavored flesh that’s also low in fat. Manitoba pickerel is typically sold in markets whole, freshly filleted or frozen, but it’s best cooked soon after it's caught. Keep it low-fat by just baking the fish, or fry it Canadian style in beer batter.

Frying

Whisk the eggs well in a bowl. Pour in beer, and add the salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Combine the flour and one or two pinches of salt in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Dip the Manitoba pickerel fillets into the egg-beer mixture first. Roll them in the flour next, then roll them in the egg-beer mixture again.

Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan until it is hot but not smoking.

Place the coated fish fillets into the pan, and fry them over medium heat, turning once with a spatula, until they turn light brown and flake easily with a fork. Remove them from the pan.

Baking

Preheat your oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Put in half of the chopped white onion, mushrooms and green bell peppers.

Lay the fillets on top of half of the chopped vegetables. Smear the virgin olive oil evenly on the fillets, then sprinkle on salt, pepper and lemon juice, to your taste.

Drop the rest of the onion, mushrooms and green bell peppers on top of the fillets. Sprinkle more salt, pepper and lemon juice on the fish, to your taste.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.