Imagine a bright, peaceful day out on the lake – gently cruising back to the docks with a cooler packed full of crappie. The heavenly thought of flaky crappie for supper lingers on your mind. Perhaps the most delicious and prized fish of the North American lake waters is the crappie-both black and white.
It is a favorite of fishermen all across America in terms of game as well as taste. Almost all who have gotten the pleasure, describe it as one of the best fish to be eaten. Whether your locale favors the black or white crappie, both have proven to be the pride and pleasure of the table. Most people prefer their crappie fried but there are certainly more creative ways to cook this special fish. Here are 5 crappie recipes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds:
BEER BATTERED CRAPPIE – “HOPPY CRAPPIE”
2 lbs crappie fillets
1 cup flour
~8 oz beer
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup frying oil
One of the first ideas that come to mind while pursuing a more on-the-go (yet just enough fancy) crappie recipe that is perfect for someone with not much time to spare, is the beer battered crappie. This is easy to prepare and takes only a couple of minutes. Simply combine flour, beer, paprika, salt and egg. The goal is to make a slightly thin batter. Completely dry the fillets of crappie with paper towels, then sprinkle on a little salt. Dip them in the batter. Heat the oil until a drop of water sputters and fry the fillets until golden brown. Serve with potato chips or coleslaw.
BAKED CRAPPIE – “ENVELOPED BLISS”
2 lbs crappie fillets
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried dill
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Aluminum foil
Another famous crappie recipe is that of the baked crappie. To make this scrumptious recipe, first place the fillets in individual pieces of aluminum foil (1 serving in each). Evenly divide butter and place in the fillet packets. Then, sprinkle basil, dill, lemon juice and salt onto the fillets. Wrap up each fillet, fully enclosing the seasoned fish inside and sealing as tightly as you can. The foil envelopes should then be baked (or grilled) for about 15-20 minutes at 400° until they attain a flaky texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. A slight variation in this recipe, just to add a touch of richness, would be to add a little bit of grated Parmesan over the surface right before they go into the oven.
STUFFED CRAPPIE – “STUFFED AND SOPHISTOCATED”
8 crappie fillets (the larger the better)
½ cup bread crumbs
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp melted butter
½ small onion, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
Black pepper
1 tsp paprika
Sliced onions (optional)
The next notable way to prepare crappie is the more technical stuffed crappie recipe. It is best for those who love to decorate their table with surprises and keep the company delighted. One can use a number of different materials to stuff their fish with, and it depends entirely on their own liking. For this recipe, mix together bread crumbs, mayo, minced onion and celery, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsley and pepper in a bowl. The mix should then be evenly divided and spread on the fillets. Next, roll up fillets gently, stake using skewers or tie with thread, and place in a casserole dish. Drizzle on melted butter. Bake at 375°F for about 20-25 minutes until a flaky texture is attained. Sprinkle with paprika. For better presentation, fillets can be baked and served over a layer of sliced onions.
CRAPPIE CHOWDER – “THE UNEXPECTED CHOWDER”
1 lb crappie
2 cups cubed potatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 quart half & half
If you are looking for an uncommon twist to your conventional crappie recipes, this chowder crappie is sure to interest you. First, add salt, potatoes, celery, and onion to a large pot. Add enough water so that the veggies are just covered. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender (~10 minutes). While the veggies are simmering, place crappie fillets in oven and broil ~5-10 minutes until flaky. Next, add the melted butter and flour to the pot and whisk until there are no lumps. Gradually add in the half & half. Finally, add the red wine vinegar and pepper. Break the crappie fillets up into bite size chunks and place into chowder. Simmer the chowder until it starts to thicken. Garnish with thyme and serve with crackers and a dash of hot sauce (optional).
PAN-FRIED CRAPPIE – “SAME OL’ GOLD”
1.5 lbs crappie fillets
1 cups yellow corn meal
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
1/2 cup frying oil
In the end, if you are a traditionalist at heart, then you can just stick to the tried and true pan-fried crappie. First, thoroughly dry fish fillets with paper towels. Next, beat eggs in one bowl and place cornmeal in another. Sprinkle fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip fillets in eggs, then roll in cornmeal. Fry in oil until golden brown and flaky on the inside, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with tartar sauce.
No matter which of the endless crappie recipes you apply to your freshly caught game, the fish itself is sure to shine in all forms and flavors. The best part about it all is that you get to enjoy the same mild, delicate taste of crappie in various ways and share the joy of fresh and fulfilling food with your family and friends.
Contributed to us by “Staghorn”
