FEEDS 4
One of my best memories from childhood is fishing with my brother, Willard, and our cousin Jessica with worms from the old lady who lived at the end of our road. She was the best source in the area for night crawlers, juicy, fat long worms for fishing for perch. She’d let us into the backyard, where a wood board lay on the dirt. We’d lift up the board and dig up the worms. Perch weren’t prized like walleye, but they were easier to catch. We would wake up while it was still dark, drag our gear and canoe into the water, and paddle out to where we could find a tree stump in about eight feet of water. An hour or two later we would return with a basketful of perch, bluegills, and an occasional crappie. My mother would fry the fish and serve it with scrambled eggs. That memory was the inspiration for this dish. I added hollandaise to make it more special. You can make it starting with raw fish, or use leftover fried fish.
12 ounces raw or leftover fried FRESHWATER FISH
KOSHER SALT and freshly ground BLACK PEPPER
6 tablespoons OLIVE OIL (if starting with raw fish)
12 large EGGS
1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh DILL
2 tablespoons UNSALTED BUTTER, plus more for buttering the bread 4 slices BAGUETTE, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal, or other good crusty bread
1 recipe QUICK BLENDER HOLLANDAISE (recipe follows)
LEMON WEDGES, for serving
PEA SPROUTS, for garnish (optional)
If you are using cooked fish, skip this step. Season the fish on both sides with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until the oil slides easily in the pan, about 2 minutes. Carefully slide the fish into the pan and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Turn the fish and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, on the second side until the fish is golden and flakes easily. Remove the fish from the skillet and set it aside to cool slightly.
Break the fish into 1-inch pieces.
Put the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a blender and blend for 20 seconds. Add the dill and pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Allow the foam to settle for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet you fried the fish in and heat it at a setting just above medium. Melt the butter, tilting the skillet to coat it with the butter.
Pour in the eggs and let them sit without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until they begin to set. Using a rubber spatula, push the eggs toward the center of the the skillet while tilting the skillet so the uncooked egg pours into the surface of the skillet. Add the fish and stir gently to incorporate the fish into the eggs without breaking it any more than is inevitable. Turn the eggs in the pan and cook for about 15 seconds more. Slide them out of the pan onto plates to halt the cooking.
Meanwhile, toast the baguette slices so they are ready when the eggs are, and butter them.
Drizzle the eggs with the hollandaise and serve with the toast. Garnish with a lemon wedge and some pea sprouts, if you have them left over.