| A BorderWaters Vacationer "Must Try" – Authentic Shorelunch
Recipe: Serves 3
- 1 lb. homemade sugar cured bacon
- 1 loaf white bread
- 1 jar tartar sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 6 med. par boiled potatoes (skin on)
- 2 lemons
- 1 16 oz. can Bush’s baked beans
- 2 medium sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla preferred)
- 1 can Camp Fire Classic (fish breading)
- 3-fresh 16” walleyes
- Canola oil
- Salt, Pepper, Cracked up pepper
Have you ever wondered how they came up with the shorelunch recipe? We start our shorelunch by frying our homemade bacon gently in a cast iron skillet until done but not crisp (reserve the bacon oil). In the meantime, an onion is cut into nice 1/8” thick slices, arranged on the tableware of the day (usually paper plates). A lemon is quartered and the juices liberally squeezed over the onion slices. Salt and pepper is sprinkled on the onion slices to taste. A slice of white bread is then buttered, one or two slices of the doctored onions added, along with two or three slices of bacon. Cover with the second slice of white bread and you have delicious hors d’oeuvres!
It’s time to ready the main course! We warm the beans slowly, adding a little diced onion. Next start the “accidental” potatoes. The par boiled potatoes and remaining onion are medium diced. In a high sided pan (6 inch sides) heat canola oil to almost smoking hot. Add half the potatoes with 1/4 of the diced onion; cook the potatoes to golden brown. Add another 1/4 of the onion halfway through the cooking time. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, drain and place them in a wire basket or on paper toweling. Season them to taste with salt and cracked up pepper. Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes and onion (remember to let your oil reheat first).
The fish have been filleted. We use a cast iron skillet and reheat the bacon oil adding enough canola oil to reach a depth of 3/4” in the frying pan. The walleye fillets are shaken in Camp Fire Classic. As the oil begins to smoke lightly, gently dip the tip of a fillet and see if it sizzles. If so, add three of the fillets turning them once. When the fillets float easily, they are done. Remove from the pan and drain on paper toweling. Let your oil heat up again and repeat with the remaining fillets.
Place fillets on plates, add potatoes and beans, squeeze a little lemon on the fillets, add tartar sauce if you desire.
Accidental potatoes came about in early August 2005. It was shorelunch for ten. The lunch was readied and someone asked “where is the potato pan”? It was back at our houseboat ten miles away. We eyed the bean pan and said let’s experiment. The guests loved the accidental potatoes and we have been serving them ever since! |
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