Norwegian Pan-Fried Smelt Recipe

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You’ll love this Norwegian recipe for pan-fried smelt because it makes for a quick and easy meal, snack or a crispy appetizer. They are the perfect finger-food and they quickly disappear because you munch them like chips with seasonal salad and beer. So good!

You should always select fresh fish as frozen tends to retain too much water, but with the smelt either is fine. Some are already cleaned and heads are removed, some aren’t but they are easy to clean.

In Norway, these little SILVER FISH are often the target fish of small ‘fishing shack’ villages that spring up along frozen rivers or in “schools” along the saltwater coastline during spring migration to their spawning streams. Historically, fishermen would go to customary locations over the ice using horses and sleighs. Smelt taken out of the cold saltwater were preferred to those taken in warm water.

When you’re buying the smelt, look for smallest in size. They should be not much longer than your finger because smelt bigger than that tends to have bones that are a little harder. The smaller the better, as you’ll be eating these fish whole – tail, bone and all. I do not eat the head, by the way. It creeps me out that is staring me down while I’m trying to stuff it in my mouth. But if you don’t mind it, by any means go for it.

My house smells like fish for days! How to get rid of fish smell after cooking:

• Soak the fish in milk for at least half an hour before cooking it. It cuts down on odor when the fish is cooked without changing the flavor of the fish.
• Soak your fish in water mixed with 1/4 cup of vinegar or 1/4 cup of lemon juice before cooking.
• Try to prevent the odor by using a splatter screen, a vent fan or an air purifier. Run the exhaust fan for an hour after cooking fish. If you can remove the exhaust filter, wash it.
• Take a whole clove (the prickly thing you stick in a ham) and simmer it in a little water. Cinnamon, citrus peel, and rosemary work as well too.
• Stick a fan in the kitchen window while cooking fish and leave it on for a while afterward. Or keep the windows open while you cook if it’s a nice day out.
• As soon as your meal is over, tightly wrap and refrigerate leftovers, wash the dishes and take out the trash. Getting the source of the odor cleaned up and out of your home as quickly as possible will reduce the smell in your home.
• Light a candle. Lemon and peppermint scents work especially well to combat food smells in your home. Light your candle before you start cooking, and let it burn well beyond your meal and kitchen clean-up time.

To fry the fish, use a heavy non-stick pan or CAST IRON SKILLET. I hesitated too long before buying a cast iron skillet but now I couldn’t imagine my kitchen without it. It makes cooking and especially frying so much easier and will make this recipe easy for you too.  You’ll definitely need to pick one up because it’s inexpensive and makes the perfect cookware. I’ve listed the one I have below in the Essentials box.

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Skillet-Fried Smelt Recipe

How to Make Norwegian Pan-Fried Smelt Recipe:

Dressing

In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. Set aside.

Fried fish

• Gently pry open the head of the fish and gently pull the gills along with the entrails. Rinse smelt under cold running water and drain well.
• In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
• Coat the smelt on both sides with the flour mixture. Heat the oil (about 1-inch deep) in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add fish, shaking off the excess flour. Make sure not to crowd the fish. Fry in batches. Fry both sides of the fish for 2-3 minutes each. They cook very quickly!
• Let the fried smelt drain its excess oil on a wire rack. Serve hot drizzled with dressing.

Norwegian Pan-Fried Smelt Recipe

Norwegian-style pan-fried smelt fish is the perfect finger-food, snack, and a quick meal cooked in 5 minutes.

4.5 from 2 votes

Print Rate

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Norwegian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Jas

Ingredients

For the fried fish

• 1 pound small smelt fish
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal or matzo meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Olive oil for frying

For the dressing

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Dressing

• In a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. Set aside.

Fried fish

• Gently pry open the head of the fish and gently pull the gills along with the entrails. Rinse smelt under cold running water and drain well.
• In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
• Coat the smelt on both sides with the flour mixture. Heat the oil (about 1-inch deep) in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add fish, shaking off the excess flour. Make sure not to crowd the fish. Fry in batches. Fry both sides of the fish for 2-3 minutes each. They cook very quickly!
• Let the fried smelt drain its excess oil on a wire rack. Serve hot drizzled with dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 2.4mg

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