How to cook Smelt

Smelt are really small fishes usually less then 6inches long, and ideally they are fried and had whole. But there are myriads of ways of cooking them, namely baking grilling and broiling. Due to their small size they take little time to cook, and also have really small bones that allow you to eat up everything. I will show you a Caribbean styling to cooking your smelt. The thing abt these fishes is that normally when fried they are consumed with a sauce be it spicy tangy or tartar sauce; however this recipe calls for no sauce at all.

Required Tools

• Large skillet/frying pan
• Large bowl

Required material

• Smelt (as much as you desire)
• Salt and pepper to taste (normally I would put a little extra pepper)
• Carrots (cut in long strips)
• Onions (cut in long strips)
• Sweet pepper (cut in small strips)
• Vegetable oil
• Vinegar
• Flour

Instructions

1. In the large bowl place smelt, using vinegar and water wash smelt once.
2. Using pure water wash smelt again
3. Given that your smelt has been washed, now add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Rub in and leave to set for about 15 minutes.
5. In the large skillet, add about 2cups of vegetable oil, or enough to cover the smelt and set over a high flame.
6. Season flour with salt and pepper.
7. Use seasoned flour to dust smelt.
8. Add the dusted smelt to the hot oil and allow to fry for about 3mins, if smelt are large then you may allow it to fry a little longer
9. Remove when golden brown.
10. Repeat until you have fried all your smelt.
11. Set a medium pot on a medium flame and add 1 cup of vinegar.
12. Add carrots and allow to come to a boil.
13. When the vinegar starts to boil add onions and allow them to cook for about 2minutes (ideally the onions should still be crisp).
14. Remove from heat and add sweet pepper, stirring so as to mix everything together.
15. Spoon mixture (liquid and all) over the fried smelt.
16. Then simply enjoy, by having as much as u possibly can.

Tips

• Do not allow the mixture of vinegar and vegetables to sit, as this will cause your vegetables to cook more and become soggy.
• Be sure to wash your fish properly, it will allow you to enjoy it more.
• When buying smelt to ensure that they are fresh, they should look almost alive, eyes still bright and smelt will give to you pushing against it but will spring back into shape.
• Never allow smelt to sit unrefrigerated.
• To refrigerate to ensure they last long, wash then pat dry, this will lessen the amount of fish juice present and keep your smelt fresh longer.