Make Your Own Northern Pike Nuggets with Tartar Sauce

Taste the lakes

Northern Pike Nuggets with Tartar Sauce.

photo copyright Keane Amdahl


serves 2–4

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. finely chopped cornichons

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup beer (or water)

1 large egg

1 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning vegetable oil

1 lb skinless northern pike fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch nuggets

Stir together mayo, pickles, and vinegar in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until needed. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, beer, egg, baking powder, Old Bay, and a generous pinch of salt. Add about 2 inches vegetable oil to a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and warm to 350 degrees. Dip fish nuggets into batter, gently place in the oil, and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel-lined plate. Season the nuggets with salt as soon as they come out of the fryer. Serve alongside the tartar sauce.

Reprinted with permission from Lake Fish: Modern Cooking with Freshwater Fish by Keane Amdahl, published by Minnesota Historical Society Press. mnhspress.org Photo copyright Keane Amdahl