When I was young, I used to pop smelts into my mouth and eat them almost as fast as French Fries. My mom would gut, rinse, flour and fry the smelts until just golden and I’d be waiting….nose and head just above the table and ready for a plate of fried smelts. Last year while in Athens my friend took me to a taverna that specialized in Cretan cuisine. We were just two persons but we moved a couple of tables together so that all the mezedes would fit!

One of the mezedes we ordered were smelts but these smelts weren’t like the larger cousins I’m accustomed to here in Canada. These were thinner than pencils, the spine is soft and when fried – even the head and tail are eaten! These are “fish fries” in every sense. These smelts are seasoned, dredged in flour and then fried in hot oil until just golden. Like with any fish or seafood, choose only the freshest of smelts as they are delicate and quite perishable: look for bright eyes, a shiny skin with a body that’s taut to the touch, no visible bruising and a fresh smell (nothing fishy).

This recipe pays homage to the larger smelts I ate as a kid and to the platter of the teeny smelts I enjoyed last year in Greece. To help crisp-up the smelts I’m using rice flour (you may use corn starch) which is very fine and all-purpose flour. Some paprika is added for another dimension and there’s white pepper (for some heat) and sea salt.

I’m garnishing the smelts with strips of lemon and lime zest and it’s served with wedges of lemon and lime. Resist the temptation to squeeze the citrus on the smelts until just before eating as they can become soggy. Grab some smelts and place them on your plate, then squeeze the citrus as you eat them. Crunch-Crunch-Crunch!

Crispy-Fried Atherina (Smelts) – Αθερινα Τηγανιτη

(meze platter for 4)

1 kg. of small, slim whole smelts

1/2 cup rice flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. fine sea salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

extra sea salt

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lime

sunflower oil for frying

1. Rinse the smelts under cold water and if they are large, cut the heads off and remove the guts. If you’re lucky enough to find the small smelts (like we’re cooking with here), make an incision with a knife on the underside between the head and body. Now gently squeeze out the guts and rinse and allow to drain. You may want to pat-them dry with kitchen towel before dredging.
2. Season your smelts with salt, pepper and paprika and toss. Now add the rice flour and toss until well-coated then toss in the all-purpose flour in increments until the smelts are no longer wet. Add enough oil into your frying vessel to fill it up to about 3 inches and bring the oil up to a temperature of 360F. Shake off excess flour and add the smelts into the hot oil and fry until just golden. Place in a paper-lined platter and fry in batches. Season your fried smelts again with sea salt.
3. Serve on a platter, top with lemon and lime zest and serves with wedges of lemon and lime. Serve with a Lyrakakis Octo (Cuvee Grande) Vilana from Crete or Raki (without anise) or Tsipouro with anise.