Curiosity motivated me to try this recipe. As a kid I hit the fishing docks at the Grosse Pointe pier and all the people fishing who caught Sheepshead threw them back. They’d say “Sheepshead, Yuk”. So I always thought they were disgusting. I made a batch and they were delicious. Steve loved them and we gobbled up a few dozen as our main course. Great article on how to prepare and store them in the summer issue of Edible Cleveland page 39. I made a few substitutions, but the key is when you catch sheepshead, skin them immediately and put them on ice. You can probably get your favorite fisherman to give you Sheepshead for free, that is until they try this recipe.
Ingredients
2 Sheepshead fillets – Skinned at the time of catch. I trim off all the belly stuff that looks silverish or gray. Then finely chop the meat and put in a bowl.
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup corn flour
Sheepshead Fritters
1/4 cup corn meal
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup dark beer
2 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons
3 green onions thinly sliced
Peanut oil and vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Add flour, corn flour, baking powder, and corn meal to chopped up fish. Add Feisty Fish Rub, stir and then add eggs, beer, milk, and blend well. Add onions and combine until the only chunks you have are the fish. Batter should be thick enough to scoop with a spoon.
Heat oil in pan and when heted drop in small spoonfuls of the batter. Fry until golden brown. Remove drain and serve with cocktail, tarter or the sauce they made in the recipe. I think it had greek yogurt, lime juice and tarragon.