By Rick Parker
For frying mullet, you have to start by cleaning them my way. I cut off the head, then fillet the backbone. This leaves 2 fillets with skin and scales on. Skin it without getting too close to the skin. Most of the “dark meat” is close to the skin and it’s the dark meat that doesn’t keep or makes it taste fishy. If you do it just right, you’ll have an almost pure white fillet with a little red meat down the center. Following this, you have to feel toward the front of the fillet for 2 bones which protrude from the backbone laterally. You’ll feel them. Just cut out that meat. It’s not worth messing with pulling the bones out. Then finger up the fillets and soak them in salty ice water for a couple hours. When they come out, they will be very firm and most of the blood will have been replaced with saltwater, giving them built-in flavor.
Fry mix is just self-rising flour with a bunch of the following: Tony Cachere’s, black pepper, oregano, rubbed sage, tarragon and garlic powder. Start your oil (I prefer lighter oils like straight vegetable) and while it’s heating, dredge your finger pieces thoroughly in the mix and lay them out on foil or wax paper to soak in the coating. Usually this takes about the time it takes to heat up the oil. The key here is to let the pieces sit for 10 to 15 minutes with the coating on before you put them in the oil. If you go straight from the mix to the fryer, you’ll end up with a bunch of burned crap in the bottom of the fryer (which makes the fish taste like burned popcorn) and the coating won’t be well adhered to the fish. Wait until the fillets go from looking dry and powdery to looking “battered” or wet. At this point, drop them into 350 degree oil until they float and are nice and brown (about 2-3 minutes), pull them out and drain and soak them well on paper towels sitting on paper grocery bags or newspaper. I like to have one place where I put them when I first take them out and then I move them a minute or two later when they cool. This allows you to arrange the fish skin-side down. The fillets naturally curl toward the skin side. The inside is much prettier to look at, so I arrange them all inside-up and away from the oily spot where I first took them out. This takes away any remaining oil so all you’re left with is the little bit of oil that soaks into the batter. Present and serve with your favorite fish sauce or straight.
Same thing for frying shrimp.
Enjoy!