Gudgeon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5-quart (4.7 L) heavy Dutch oven or high-sided pot with lid
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire skimmer or spider
• •Rimmed sheet pan fitted with a wire rack
• •Splatter screen
• •Small sharp knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean and dry fish

   If the gudgeon are not already prepared, scrape away the scales from tail to head, open each belly with the tip of a small knife, and remove the innards and gills without tearing the fish apart. Rinse them briefly in a bowl of cold water, drain, then dry the cavities and skins thoroughly with clean towels. Arrange them uncovered on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Press one with fresh paper before proceeding; if the paper lifts damp, dry the fish again. Water makes the flour pasty, spits in the oil, and prevents a crisp skin.

   Keep the heads and tails attached. The intact shape protects the delicate flesh, while the fins and tails become the crispest bites.
2. 2

   Set the frying station

   Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and place a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan inside. Pour the oil into a 5-quart (4.7 L) heavy pot, leaving the pot no more than half full, and heat it to 355°F (180°C). Keep the thermometer clipped in place and a fitted lid nearby. Never leave the oil unattended, and never use water on burning fat; cover the pot and turn off the heat.

3. 3

   Flour at the last moment

   Season the gudgeon with 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 6 g) of the salt and all the white pepper. Put the flour in a shallow dish, then coat only enough fish for the first batch. Shake each one firmly so only a fine veil remains; loose flour burns in the pot and a heavy coat turns pasty. If the flour clumps on contact, brush it away, dry the fish again, and recoat it just before frying.

4. 4

   Fry in small batches

   Lower the fish carefully into the oil with a wire skimmer, adding only enough to form a loose single layer. Keep the oil between 345°F and 355°F (175°C and 180°C), moving the fish gently so they do not cling together. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until deep gold, rigid enough to lift straight, and crisp through the fins. Break open the thickest fish from the first batch: the flesh must be opaque at the backbone and reach 145°F (63°C) if it is large enough to test. Drain on the rack, season with some of the remaining salt, and hold in the oven for no longer than 10 minutes. If a batch emerges pale and limp because the oil fell below 340°F (170°C), lift it out, return the oil to 355°F (180°C), and refry it for 30 to 45 seconds. Ça se rattrape.

   Wait for the oil to recover fully between batches. Crowding saves no time; it merely exchanges crisp fish for oily fish.
5. 5

   Crisp the parsley

   When all the fish are cooked, check the parsley once more for moisture. Lower a small handful into the 345°F (175°C) oil inside the wire skimmer and cover with a splatter screen. Fry for 8 to 12 seconds, just until the sputtering subsides and the leaves turn crisp and dark green, then drain on the rack. Parsley carrying even a little water can spit violently, so if a towel shows dampness, dry it again before it approaches the pot.

6. 6

   Season and serve

   Heap the goujons on a warm platter, scatter over the fried parsley, and set the lemon wedges alongside. Squeeze lemon only over the fish you are about to eat, because acid quickly softens the crust. The smallest gudgeon may be eaten whole when their backbones have crisped; with larger specimens, lift the flesh from the backbone at the table. Serve immediately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Buy gudgeon from a licensed freshwater supplier, or use legally caught fish from water approved for consumption. A river full of fish is not proof that the water is safe.
• •Gudgeon between 3 and 5 inches (8 and 12 cm) suit this preparation. If gudgeon cannot be found, small smelt make friture d'éperlans (whole-fried smelt) by the same method, but the result should be named honestly.
• •A friture wears a veil of flour, not a batter. Shake away every loose patch before the fish enters the oil; the coating should reveal the scales and contours beneath it.
• •Let used oil cool completely, strain it through a fine filter, and refrigerate it in a sealed container. Reuse it only for fish, once or twice, then discard it according to local guidance rather than pouring it down the sink.
• •Serve with boiled new potatoes or a sharp green salad, good bread, and a crisp dry white wine. Leftovers can be chilled within 2 hours and reheated on a rack at 425°F (220°C) for 5 to 7 minutes, though a friture is happiest the moment it leaves the fat.

Advance Preparation

• •The gudgeon may be cleaned up to 8 hours ahead. Dry them thoroughly and refrigerate them uncovered on a rack at or below 40°F (4°C), which keeps their surfaces dry without letting the fish warm.
• •Measure the flour and seasonings, cut the lemons, and arrange the frying station up to 2 hours ahead. Keep the parsley chilled and dry between clean towels.
• •Do not flour the fish more than 5 minutes before frying, and do not fry them ahead. The thin, crisp coating is the pleasure of the dish and waiting takes it away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 250g)