Crispy Smelt Lettuce Wraps

• 10 Smelt fish (Thawed) I buy mine frozen from the grocery store already cleaned and gutted) Fresh will work as well
• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 2 ripe Mangoes
• 1 cucumber ( Seeded and sliced into thin strips)
• 1 bell pepper ( Chopped into
• 1/4 tbsp fresh ginger minced
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup rice flour( You can buy it but its cheaper to make your own with a blender!!!)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Maple syrup
• 1/2 cup Vinegar ( I like white wine vinegar)
• 5 garlic cloves Sliced
• 1 inch knob of ginger peeled( optional)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce ( low Sodium)
• Garnish of choice ( mine is balsamic reduction)
• 1 lemon
• 2 cups Vegetable oil for frying

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Fish Marinade:

1. Clean and dry the fish then place them on a rack or cutting board. Score each with about three cuts per side. Depending of size of fish.
2. Salt the fish to taste. Keep in mind that we will be marinating is soy sauce so DO NOT over salt. if anything under salt.
3. Combine soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, vinegar, ginger slices if using in a bowl.
4. Place scored smelts in marinate and marinate for at least 2 hours in fridge

Salsa:

1. While the fish is marinating let's make out salsa!
2. Deseed and Slice cucumbers
3. Chop mangoes, peppers and cilantro
4. in a medium size mixing bowl combine mustard and honey and mix well.
5. Toss in salsa fruits and vegetables and mix well squeeze in juice of half lemon garnish with cilantro.
6. Mix well and set aside in the fridge to let flavours mix baby!!!
7. While salsa and fish are marinating. Cut, clean and dry your lettuce leaves and set aside.

Cooking:

1. Remove smelts form marinade and set them on rack or cutting board once more. let them warm a bit from the fridge.
2. Add oil to pan and let it heat up well over medium heat( of course you can bake, or air fry) I like to shallow fry the smelts as I like the browning and crunch that I get
3. Dust smelts with a combination the the cornstarch and rice flower. I use a small sieve to dust the flour over them. I then shake off any excess before putting them in the oil
4. As Smelts are pretty small they will brown and cook quickly( about 2 minutes per side) WATCH THEM!!!! and regulate heat accordingly.
5. Removed the melts from oil as the cook and put them on a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain out the oil

Plating:

1. Plating is really simple.
2. Lettuce leaf, smelt, salsa
3. and for me Balsamic reduction ( man I love this stuff)!!!
4. Alternatively if you like you could squeeze the other lemon half over them.

ENJOY!

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