Deep Fried Whole Croaker - Fun to eat and tasty!!

If you bottom fish the Chesapeake Bay, then you have certainly caught a Croaker at some point in your fishing life.

If you have ever eaten a croaker from the Chesapeake Bay, then you have eaten one of the tastiest little fish that this region has to offer.

One thing perplexes me about Croaker, however. You rarely see them on menus in the local little waterfront shacks. Why this is, I have no idea. Maybe its because they don't have the glamorous name like Mahi Mahi or Ahi Tuna. Maybe its because people are afraid to embrace a bottom feeder as food value. But for those that think its the latter, I am hear to tell you that you are missing out on one of the finest eating fish in the bay. And for local restaurants that are looking to jump on the "fresh and local" bandwagon that is popping up on so many menus recently, I urge you to try croaker as a new menu item....bites, fingers, fillets, sandwiches, or whole fried like I present them here, Croaker is a great eating fish and is pretty damn cheap to buy as well if your not a fisherman.

For this recipe I have adapted a couple of different styles of whole fried fish. While visiting the Florida Keys I have had  this with Yellowtail Snapper, The Cubans do it with Red Snapper, and in The Orient, Tilapia is a popular choice. I knew Croaker would work well for this style, and it turned out great.

4 whole Croaker (fish about 12-15 inches in size worked great for my small electric deep fryer)
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper
cumin
garlic
white flour or spicy seasoned fish fry flour

Scale, gut, and remove the gills from the fish. Cut diagonal slices on both sides of the fish. Brush with lime juice on both sides and season with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic. Cover fish and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cooking. Shake the whole fish in flour or seasoned fish fry and deep fry in an electric fryer or deep skillet with oil. It will only take about 4-5 minutes at 375 degrees to cook the fish through. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (Sweet Thai Chili sauce, pictured)

Have fun with this dish. It is a great appetizer. Let it cool down, use your fingers, and pick through the delicious meat....and a hint...try eating the tail. Its crispy and delicious. Like a little fish potato chip :-)