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by Crystal Schlueter
This week’s recipe is for those who may occasionally want to forego the standard fried fish and make something a little fancy. These walleye rolls are my take on fish and chips, but in lobster roll form. If you’ve never had a lobster roll, Maine likes to serve them cold and dressed in mayonnaise, while Connecticut prefers to serve them warm, dressed in butter.
I felt walleye rolls would be best served warm, but wanted to do something more exciting than just melted butter. So, I did something in-between the two classic styles; beernaise. Beernaise is based off of classic French bearnaise sauce, with a few twists. Instead of white wine, I went with a local beer, replaced the white wine vinegar with malt vinegar, and used chives fresh from my garden in place of the usual tarragon-chervil combination.
Walleye Rolls with Beernaise and Frites
Ingredients:
Beernaise:
1 minced shallot
1/2 cup Castle Danger Castle Cream Ale
1/4 cup malt vinegar
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon minced chives, plus extra for garnishing
Salt to taste
Frites:
1 large russet baking potato, scrubbed
Canola oil for frying
1 pinch of salt
Walleye:
16 ounces thawed walleye fillets, skins removed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 Zup’s Hoagie rolls, separated
Instructions:
Beernaise:
Place the shallot in a small saucepan. Pour the beer and vinegar over the shallot. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the liquid has reduced to about 2 tablespoons (approximately 1 tablespoon will evaporate while cooling). Set aside and cool completely. Bring a small saucepan with 1 inch of water to a slow simmer. Add the shallot mixture to a metal bowl with 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Place the bowl over the water and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or until the yolks thicken. Continue cooking while adding the melted butter in 1 tablespoon increments, whisking thoroughly after each, until all of the butter is incorporated. Remove from heat and stir in the chives. Season with salt to taste.
Frites:
Using a julienne peeler (or large holes of a box grater), shave the potato into long strings until you have about 3/4 cup. Place in a bowl of cold water and set aside. Meanwhile, pour 1 inch of oil into a deep saucepan. Heat the oil over medium high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Remove the potato strands from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Fry the potato strings in batches until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and season with a pinch of salt.
Walleye:
Pat the walleye dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the walleye and cook, flipping once, until the fish is lightly browned on both sides and opaque throughout. Remove fish to a plate, reserving grease in the skillet. Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully cut each hoagie from the top to about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Shave a thin piece off of any end rolls so both sides are flat. Put the pan back over medium heat. If necessary, add a little more butter or oil. Add rolls cut-side down and toast until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a platter. Carefully flake the walleye into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl. Add 1/3 cup beernaise. Stir gently. If desired, add additional beernaise. Spoon the walleye into the rolls. Top with frites and garnish with extra chives.
Yield: 3 servings.
