Pan Fried Largemouth Bass With Lemon Garlic Herb Butter Sauce Recipes

PAN-FRIED LEMON POTATOES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with cold water. Add the garlic, rosemary sprigs and lemon half to the water and season well with salt. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well and immediately cut the potatoes into halves. Place on a plate to allow the steam to escape. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the seasoning salt, mix together the lemon zest, chopped rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers when it swirls in the skillet. Add the potatoes cut-side down to the skillet. Do not overcrowd the skillet. This may be done in 2 batches. Cook until the bottom of the potatoes are a deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a metal spatula, flip the potatoes and cook on the second side for an additional 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and drain well. Sprinkle with the seasoning salt and serve warm.

FRESH FRIED LARGEMOUTH BASS

Steps:

• Place bass in a bowl. Add salt and cover with water. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out all blood. Rinse bass thoroughly to remove salt. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place cornmeal, flour, seasoned salt, paprika, and pepper in a gallon-sized plastic bag. Zip and shake until evenly combined.
• Drop 2 pieces of bass into the bag, zip, and shake to coat. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining bass.
• Fry bass in the preheated deep fryer for 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

PAN-FRIED STRIPED BASS WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, whisk together: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust as desired. The sauce will separate as it sits; this is not a problem.
• Season: 4 pieces striped bass, skin on (4 to 6 ounces each) with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Choose a heavy-bottomed pan for frying the fish. Take another, slightly smaller pan that will fit into the pan for the fish, and wrap its bottom with foil. This pan will be used as a weight to hold the fish flat against the frying pan to ensure that all of the skin will cook and crisp. (You will see the fish contract when it goes into the hot pan, as the skin shrinks on contact with the heat.) Warm the larger pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in: Olive oil, enough to generously coat the bottom.
• Add the pieces of bass, skin side down, and place the foil-wrapped pan on top of the fish. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Check now and then to see that the fish is indeed browning, but not overbrowning. Adjust the heat up or down to speed up or slow down the cooking as needed. When the skin is browned, remove the top pan and turn the fish. Cook for another minute or so, until the fish is just cooked through, but is still moist and tender inside. Meanwhile whisk the lemon sauce together again and pour it onto a warm plate. Serve the fish skin side up, on top of the sauce.
• Garnish the fish with a couple spoonfuls of chopped tender herbs such as parsley, chives, chervil, cilantro, or basil.
• Soak, rinse, and squeeze dry a tablespoon or so of capers. When the fish is cooked add the capers to the hot pan and sauté for a minute or two. Remove with a slotted spoon and scatter over the fish.
• Make a Beurre Blanc (Warm Butter Sauce; page 228) instead of the olive oil sauce.