Spilly's Lake Superior Recipe Contest

Professor Athelstan Spilhaus (Spilly), Sea Grant Founder and Dean of the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology from 1949-1967, would have been 100 years old this November. Among many things, he was a man who passionately believed in creativity and enjoying the bounty of the world's oceans and inland seas (like Lake Superior) in a sustainable way. In honor of Spilly's birthday and Lake Superior's sustainable fisheries, the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program sponsored a recipe contest devoted to fish hors d'oeuvres made with Lake Superior's commercially harvested whitefish, lake herring, ciscoes and lake trout. We'll reveal the winners in Minneapolis on Nov. 1. In the meantime, vote for your favorite hors d'oeuvre recipe from the list of finalists.

Prizes

• First Prize - $75-worth of smoked or fresh fish from Lou's Fish Smoke House, one of the North Shore's acclaimed and traditional smoke houses.
• Runner-up - $50 gift certificate to the University of Minnesota Bookstore
• Honorable Mention (3) - Wild Caught and Close to Home; Selecting and Preparing Great Lakes Whitefish. 2010. Michigan
Sea Grant. (C11)
• People's Choice: Gift certificate to the Northern Waters Smokehaus

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Hors d'oeuvres made from Lake Superior fish

Finalists (in no particular order)

1. Allspice Herring; Sharon Hawk (Edwardsville, IL)
2. Pete's Smoked Fish Spread; Floyd "Pete" Pearson (Grand Marais, MN)
3. Baked Lake Superior Whitefish Toast Points; Hannah Wolters (Duluth, MN)
4. Superior Beef Slider; Bruce Reeves (Duluth, MN)
5. Smoked Lake Herring Appetizers; Marie S. Fegley (Duluth, MN)
6. Dan's Lake Trout Hors d'oeuvre; June Kallestad (Duluth, MN)
7. Nueske's Grilled Whitefish; Brian Huberty (Duluth, MN)
8. Baked Lake Trout with Shrimp Stuffing; Nelson Thomas (Duluth, MN)

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Finalist Recipes

1. Allspice Herring
Sharon Hawk (Edwardsville, IL)
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Yield/Servings: Serves 8-9

Ingredients:

• 8 or 9 Herring Fillets (use frozen fish - recommended to combat parasites)
• 100 ml Distilled White Vinegar
• 200 ml Sugar
• 300 ml Water
• 2 Yellow Onions, Peeled and Sliced
• 1 teaspoon or 1 1/2 tsp Allspice, Crushed (Depending on your level of spiciness)
• 1 teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon of Nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon of Ginger

Instructions:

1. Soak herring fillets in water overnight and then drain.
2. Bring white distilled vinegar, sugar and water to a boil.
3. Remove from stove and cool the liquid.
4. Add yellow onion, allspice, red pepper flakes.
5. Wipe the herring fillets dry before cutting them into 1-inch chunks.
6. Put the herring chunks into a large glass bowl or jar.
7. Pour over the cooled liquid.
8. Keep in refrigerator or cool with ice for 24 hours before serving.

Enjoy this herring with your favorite sour cream, bread or eggs.

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2. Pete's Smoked Fish Spread
Floyd "Pete" Pearson
(Grand Marais, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Varies

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Smoked Fish (Lake Trout, Salmon or Whitefish)
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 2 tablespoon Horseradish
• 1/3 cup Chopped Ripe Olives
• 1/3 cup Chopped Green Olives
• 1/3 cup Chopped Cocktail Onions
• 2 teaspoon Juice from Cocktail Onions
• Juice from 1 Lime
• 2 tablespoon Chopped Chives
• Milk, Cream or Half & Half (Amount Varies)

Instructions:

1. Remove skin from fish, remove flesh from bones and break fish up by hand removing any bones.
2. Combine all ingredients except for milk. Use a fork to blend the mixture. Watch for any bones you may have missed.
3. Add small amounts of milk (or cream or half & half) to get the spreading texture you would like.
4. Serve with crackers.

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3. Baked Lake Superior Whitefish
Toast Points
Hannah Wolters (Duluth, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Serves 16

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Baguette
• 5 Fresh Lake Superior Whitefish Fillets
• 1/3 cup Butter, Melted
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice, Divided
• Salt and Pepper for Sprinkling
• 1 Red Slicing Tomato
• 2 Avocados
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 3 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Diced Finely (Additional for Garnish)
• 2/3 cup Black Olives, Sliced

Instructions:

1. Slice the baguette into 1/4-inch slices. You need about 16-20 pieces, so save the rest for something different.
2. Pre-heat oven to 400°F, spray a medium casserole dish with non-stick spray.
3. In a bowl, stir together the butter and 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Place the fillets in the dish and pour the sauce on top. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Cover and bake for 10-15 minutes until fish fillets are cooked through.
4. Remove from pan and discard the liquid.
5. Using a fork, break the fillets up in a bowl. Don't pulverize them; you want chunks, not spread.
6. Dice the tomato and add to the fish. Peel, core and dice the avocado, and add to the fish along with the olives.
7. Microwave the cream cheese to soften it. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, onion powder, and cilantro.
8. Spread the cream cheese mixture on to the toasted baguette slices, dividing it evenly among all pieces.
9. Top with a spoonful of the fish-tomato mixture onto the toast. The amount will depend on the size of your tomato, avocado and fillets, but try to get an equal amount on each one.
10. If desired, garnish each with a small sprig of cilantro.
11. Serve chilled along with your choice of other delightful finger foods.

Additional Information:

This is a delightful little appetizer or party food. The small size and simple ingredients may have you thinking it is a lame party food, but don't be fooled. This little guy is the star of your next lake front party and will be the envy of all your friends.

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4. Superior Beef Slider
Bruce Reeves (Duluth, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Serves 8

Ingredients:

• Short Ribs, Fish and Onions
• 2 oz. Smoked Pancetta, Cubed
• Salt, to Taste
• 2 lbs. Beef, Short Ribs, Cut Into 3" Pieces
• Pepper, to Taste
• Olive Oil for Sautéing and Caramelizing
• 2 cups Onion, Sliced for the Slow Cooker
• 2 cups Onion, Sliced for Caramelizing
• 1/4 cup Dry Red Wine
• 1 lb. Whitefish
• 2 shots Limoncello, or Sweet Lemon Liquid-Like Lemonade
• 8 Slider Buns, or *Optional Bread Recipe (See below.)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the beef: Set a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the pancetta. With a slotted spoon remove the pancetta and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Sprinkle short ribs with salt then add to hot skillet. Brown short ribs well on all sides. Transfer the ribs into a bowl and season with pepper. Add the oil to the skillet, if needed, and sauté 2 cups of the onions for about 3 minutes; transfer to the slow cooker. Swirl the red wine in the hot skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Layer the beef ribs in the slow cooker, add the pancetta and pour the wine and browned bits over the top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until short ribs are very tender. Remove meat from the bones and transfer to a bowl. With a slotted spoon, remove the rest of the onions, etc. from the slow cooker and mix in with the short rib meat. Shred the beef mixture.
2. Marinate the fish: While beef short ribs are in the slow cooker, put the fish in a freezer bag with some limoncello and let it marinate in the refrigerator. The fish does not need to be swimming in the limoncello, but make sure it is coated. If you do not have limoncello, something like lemonade should work. The idea is to have lemon and sugar for the fish to marinate in.
3. Caramelize the remaining onions: When the ribs are done, start caramelizing the remaining 2 cups of onions. Put a little olive oil in a pan, and cook the onions until they become a dark brown - about 20 minutes. Stir them occasionally to keep them from burning.
4. Cook the fish: Heat a cast iron skillet with a little butter or oil and cook the fish.
5. Assemble the slider: On a slider bun (or the optional bread recipe) layer the fish, beef and onions. Generally, equal thickness of the 3 layers seems to taste best, but adjust the relative amounts of each layer to suit your taste.

*Optional Bread Recipe:

• 1 1/2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup White Whole Wheat
• 1/4 Cup Corn Meal Flour
• 1 teaspoon SAF Instant Red Yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 5/8 Cup Water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*Bread Instructions:

1. Add the flours, yeast and salt into a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment. Blend together. Add the water and olive oil to the flour mix and blend. Change the paddle to a dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes. Add a little more unbleached flour if the dough is too sticky or a little water if the dough is too dry.
2. Coat a bowl with olive oil. Form the dough into a ball, and roll around in the bowl to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a cloth napkin and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume - about 1 to 1.5 hours.
3. Punch down the dough and knead briefly by hand to release air. Form into a baguette and place on a baking sheet. Cover with the cloth napkin and set aside to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
4. Bake in a 400 degree oven until browned - about 40 minutes. Place on a cooling rack. The bread may be used warm or cold.

* A note on the corn meal flour: Corn meal works also. The difference is in the texture. Pick what works for you.

Additional Information:

This is my Lake Superior take on the wonderful Beef Short Rib and Scallop slider my wife and I ate at Manny's Steak House in Minneapolis, MN. In place of the scallops I use whitefish, and instead of haystack onions I use caramelized onions to add some of the sweetness the scallops provided in Manny's dish. Also be sure to use the fish marinade to help add the other sweetness the scallops provided in Manny's dish. Use slider buns or my optional bread recipe. For a wine pairing, try a Nero d'Avola from Sicily.

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5. Smoked Lake Herring Appetizers
Marie S. Fegley (Duluth, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Serves 18-20

Ingredients:

(Base)

• 1 Large Cucumber

(Smoked Lake Herring Spread)

• 1 cup (packed) approximately 5 oz. Wood Smoked Lake Herring
• 2 tablespoons Finely Chopped Celery
• 1 tablespoon Finely Chopped Yellow Onion
• 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
• dash of Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise (or less, to taste)

(Garnish)

• Lemon rind finely grated
• Capers
• drained Flat leaf parsley, small sprigs

Instructions:

(Base)

1. Cut approximately 1" off either end to achieve uniform slices. With table fork, run tines deep into cucumber skin, lengthwise, to form a pattern on cucumber skin before making slices 1/4" thick - approximately 2" in diameter.

(Spread & Garnish)

1. Flake herring carefully off bones.
2. Break up herring with fork in bowl.
3. Add all ingredients except garnish. Mix well.
4. Add heaping teaspoon herring spread onto center of cucumber slice.
5. Garnish with pinch of grated lemon rind, two capers and a small sprig of parsley.
6. Enjoy!

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6. Dan's Lake Trout Hors D'oeuvre
June Kallestad (Duluth, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Varies

Ingredients:

• Sturdy Crackers (Dan recommends Vinta crackers in the red box.)
• Cream Cheese
• Horseradish Sauce
• Smoked Lake Trout

Instructions:

1. Simply spread cream cheese on cracker, add a layer of horseradish to your liking and top with a hearty chunk of trout. Open wide and enjoy!

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7. Nueske's Grilled Whitefish
Brian Huberty (Duluth, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Nueske's Bacon from Wisconsin, 4-6 slices per fish on average
• One 16 oz Whitefish Fillet

Instructions:

1. Use a Weber Charcoal Grill and start about 40 briquettes in 2 rows with an empty channel in the middle for indirect heating and to prevent flare-ups from the bacon drippings.
2. Place a couple slices of bacon on top on top of the fish. Put fish on foil. Place on the grill on top of the channel. You can elect to place additional bacon slices on top of the fish.
3. Cook the fish for no more than 10 minutes covered. You may have to finish the bacon on the side depending on temperatures.

Additional Information:

1. Add wild rice with green peppers and pearl onions, smothered in mozzarella cheese with sour dough bread. Wash it down with Lake Superior stout beer!

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8. Baked Lake Trout (Or Whitefish) With Shrimp Stuffing
Nelson Thomas (Duluth, MN)
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Yield/Servings: Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 Lake Trout - 4 lbs. Dressed; or Whitefish
• 6 Tbsp Butter Melted, Divided Salt & Pepper
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onion
• 2 cup Coarse Dry Bread Crumbs
• 3/4 lb. Raw Shrimp, Peeled, Deveined, Chopped
• 1/2 cup Raw Spinach, Washed, Drained, Chopped
• 1 Beaten Egg
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1/2 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. Paprika

Instructions:

1. Brush fish with 4 T. butter, in and out.
2. Lightly salt and pepper in and out.
3. Lay fish in shallow baking pan. Set aside.
4. In saucepan, sauté onions in remaining butter. Transfer to large bowl and add bread crumbs, shrimp, spinach, beaten egg, parsley, salt, poultry seasoning, and paprika; blend.
5. Add milk or chicken stock or water to get to stick together. Stuff into cavity of fish.
6. Sew or use wooden sticks or wrap in aluminum foil to cook the fish. Cook extra stuffing in foil.
7. Bake at 350° about 40 minutes or until flesh is firm to the touch and shrimp are pink.