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
