Fried Smelts with Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise

This is Fried smelt heaven!  Chipotle lime mayonnaise is perfect for fried smelts.

   
     If you fry with a quality, healthy, unsaturated oil, then fried food is not too bad for your health!  After deep frying, the oil can be cooled down and then poured through a filter into a container.  The oil should be refrigerated and it can be used a few times.  Never deep fry with olive oil.  Olive oil smokes and burns at high temperatures.
   
     Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise Recipe:
     Place 3 ounces of mayonnaise into a small bowl.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of dark chipotle hot sauce.
     Add 1 pinch of cumin.
     Add 1 pinch of paprika.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Add 1 squeeze of lime juice.
     Stir the ingredients together.
     Place the chipotle lime mayonnaise into a ramekin and set it aside.
   
     Seasoned Breading Mixture:
     It is always best to have some extra bread crumb mixture when breading fish.  The leftover bread crumb mixture can be sifted and saved for another recipe.
     Place 4 cups of bread crumbs into a mixing bowl.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of oregano.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of dried basil.
     Add 1 teaspoon of ground sage.
     Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
     Stir the ingredients together.
   
     Fried Smelts Recipe:
     Dredge 20 to 25 boned smelts in flour.
     Dip the smelts in egg wash.
     Bread only a few smelts at a time in this next step!
     Place a few egg washed smelts in the seasoned bread crumbs and toss the smelts with the bread crumbs, till they are completely coated.
     Place the breaded smelts on a platter.
     Repeat these steps, till all of the smelts are breaded.
     Place 4" to 5" of vegetable frying oil in a high sided pot.
     Heat the frying oil to 360 degrees.
     Add the smelts to the hot frying oil.  (Fry the smelts in batches, if you use a smaller size pot for frying.)
     Fry the smelts in the hot oil, till they become golden brown in color.
     Use a fryer net remove the fried smelts from the hot oil.
     Place the fried smelts on a dry towel to drain off the excess oil.
   
     Assembly:
     Place a bed of lettuce leaves on a plate for the fried smelts.
     Place the smelts on the bed of lettuce.
     Set the ramekin of chipotle lime mayonnaise next to the fried smelts.
     Garnish the sauce with a few thin slices of green onion.
   
     Delicious!  Smelts have a very light and clean white fish flavor.  Chipotle lime mayonnaise seems like it was created specifically for fried smelts!  The flavor combination is so yummy!  This is a great plate of finger food!  ...  Shawna