Perch Please WARM CREAMY-TANGY PERCH SAUCE

PERCH TACOS

Here, mild and sweet-tasting perch is battered, fried and puffed into delicious Baja-style fish tacos. These are the summer fish tacos you’ve been dreaming of— probably without even realizing you’ve been missing the perch. This recipe riffs off the tasty tacos that you can enjoy at Birdie’s Perch (Bustaurant & Takeaway) in Leamington, Ont.

1 ⁄ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour

1 ⁄ tsp (7 mL) baking powder

1 ⁄ tsp (7 mL) salt

Generous pinches of pepper

1 ⁄ cups (375 mL) club soda

Vegetable oil to coat pan and approximately 4 cups (1 L) for frying

12 fresh, small corn tortillas

1 lb (455 g) fresh yellow perch, skinned and boned, cut into strips

1 ⁄ to 2 ⁄ cups (375 to 560 mL) Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)

1 cup (250 mL) crema fresca or sour cream Lime wedges, for squeezing overtop

Toppings (see this page)

Using a fork, mix flour with baking powder, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Slowly stir in club soda until incorporated. It’s okay if small lumps remain— it should look like pancake batter.

Lightly coat a large frying pan with oil and set over medium heat. Working in batches, add 1 or 2 tortillas. Heat until so , turning halfway through, about 1 minute. To keep warm, stack and wrap tortillas in a kitchen towel sealed with foil.

Partially fill a large deep skillet with oil until 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. Heat over medium until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 350°F (180°C). Or dip a wooden spoon or chopstick in oil; you’ll know the oil is ready when it begins to steadily sizzle around the wood. Adjust heat, as needed.

Working in batches, dip fish pieces in batter. Using tongs, very carefully add to oil. Cook, turning with tongs or a slotted spoon, until batter is crisp and deep golden, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.

Tacos are best enjoyed family-style with all the prepared ingredients— tortillas, fried fish, Pico de Gallo, crema fresca, lime wedges and a mix of toppings— served right at the table so everyone can load up just before eating.

Serves 6 (12 tacos)

PICO DE GALLO

Fresh homemade salsa is the key to making a taco really great! The amounts and ingredients are pretty flexible, so taste and adjust to make it your own.

2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped ⁄ red onion, finely chopped

1 cup (250 mL) chopped cilantro 1 jalapeño, finely chopped

⁄ lime

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional) Pinch of salt

Stir tomatoes, onion, cilantro and jalapeño in a small bowl. Squeeze lime juice overtop. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Taste and adjust seasoning and lime juice, as you like.

Makes 2 ⁄ cups (560 mL) for 12 tacos

TACO TOPPINGS

Get creative and use any combination of these toppings, adding in any other family favourites.

A handful of shredded red or green cabbage, about ⁄ cabbage

Hot sauce such as Cholula

1 avocado, chopped

A handful of microgreens such as radish sprouts or pea shoots

Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese

4 thinly sliced radishes Based on a very old-school, hot-dressing formula, this recipe is a twist on Ontario perch roll sauce. The result is less sweet than its muse, but it’s still lusciously creamy, refreshingly tangy and zingy from all the mustard.

2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour

1 ⁄ tsp (7 mL) dry mustard

⁄ tsp (4 mL) salt

⁄ cup (125 mL) cold water

1 large egg

3 tbsp (45 mL) white vinegar

2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) granulated sugar

Fit a bowl over a small saucepan partially filled with water so the bowl is not touching the water. Remove bowl. Bring water to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in the fitted bowl, whisk flour with mustard powder and salt. Slowly whisk in water. Add egg and whisk until incorporated. Slowly whisk in vinegar and lemon juice, then sugar.

Adjust heat as needed so water is gently simmering and not boiling. Set bowl with mixture over simmering water. Whisking constantly and being careful not to scramble, cook egg mixture until thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve warm. If making ahead, sauce will keep well, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature just before topping the warm fish and serving.

Makes ⁄ cup (175 mL)

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Follow these steps for no-fail caramelized onions every time.

3 cooking onions

3 tbsp (45 mL) each butter and olive oil Pinch salt

2 tbsp (30 mL) water

Cut each onion in half lengthwise, slicing through root end. Place onions cut-side down on a cutting board, then thinly slice into semicircles.

Heat butter and oil in a medium-size frying pan set over medium heat. Add onions, separating as you add to pan. Sprinkle with salt. Reduce heat so onions are gently cooking but not frying. A er about 10 minutes, when onions are just beginning to so en and caramelize, deglaze pan by stirring in water and scraping up any brown bits from pan bottom. Continue cooking, stirring o en, until caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Makes 2 to 4 servings