# Crispy Fried Night Smelt over Spring Greens > Whole night smelt fry up delicately crisp, with tender flesh beneath a thin golden crust. Set them over lemony lettuces, cucumber, and sweet snap peas for a late-spring lunch with plenty of crunch and a little chile heat. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pan-fried-night-smelt-on-a-warm-shishito-cucumber-summer-salad - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-06-09 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Crispy Fried Night Smelt over Spring Greens](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F4fc22c847b29c1dd.jpg) ## Crispy Fried Night Smelt A light cassava coating crisps quickly without burying the delicate fish. Small batches keep the oil hot and the crust light. ### Ingredients - 1.5 lb very fresh whole night smelt, approximately 16 small fish, cleaned as needed with heads and tails retained - 3/4 cup cassava flour - 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided, plus more to finish - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 2–3 cups Zero Acre Farms cultured oil, enough for 1/2 inch in the skillet ### Instructions 1. Keep the smelt refrigerated until ready to cook. If not already cleaned, slit the bellies and remove the entrails while retaining the heads and tails. Rinse briefly only as needed, then pat very dry, including inside the cavities. 2. Combine the cassava flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a shallow dish. Season the fish with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt just before dredging. 3. Pour the cultured oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat to 350–365°F. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby. 4. Dredge only the fish for the first batch, coating lightly and shaking off excess flour. Carefully lower them into the oil without crowding. 5. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side, turning gently, until the coating is pale golden and crisp and the flesh is opaque and separates easily from the backbone. The thickest part should reach 145°F; small fish may cook faster. 6. Transfer to the rack and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let the oil return to temperature before dredging and frying the next batch. Serve promptly. ### Notes - Small smelt are often eaten whole, but diners can remove the heads and backbone if preferred. - For particularly small fish, begin checking doneness after about 3 minutes total. ## Lemony Spring Lettuce, Cucumber, and Snap Pea Salad Juicy cucumber, sweet peas, and sharp lemon balance the fried fish. Dressing the greens at the last moment keeps the salad lively rather than wilted. ### Ingredients - 6 cups loosely packed mixed tender lettuces and baby greens, washed and thoroughly dried - 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced into thick half-moons - 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1/4 tsp red chile flakes - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for blanching - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch the snap peas for 60–90 seconds, just until bright green and still crisp. 2. Transfer the peas to the ice water, then drain and dry thoroughly. Cut into bite-size pieces, splitting a few pods open if desired. 3. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, chile flakes, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. 4. Just before serving, add the lettuces, cucumber, and snap peas. Toss lightly, taste, and adjust the salt or lemon juice. ### Notes - Very tender snap peas can be used raw for a firmer crunch. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Preparing the salad before frying lets the fish reach the table while its coating is still crisp. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Clean and dry the smelt, then refrigerate while preparing the vegetables. 2. 0:10 — Blanch and chill the snap peas, slice the cucumbers, dry the greens, and whisk the dressing. Keep everything separate. 3. 0:25 — Heat the frying oil and mix the dredge. Fry the smelt in batches, draining on a rack. 4. 0:40 — As the final batch finishes, toss the salad and divide it among bowls. Top with the hot fish and serve immediately. ## Plating A broad, shallow bowl shows off the whole fish while keeping enough salad exposed to preserve its crunch. ### Instructions 1. Divide the dressed salad among four shallow bowls, distributing the cucumber and peas throughout. 2. Lay approximately four smelt over each salad, with heads toward one side and tails extending toward the other. Avoid pouring extra dressing over the crust. 3. Serve immediately, with a small side plate for any discarded bones or heads. ## Leftover Path Keeping fish and vegetables separate prevents the coating from absorbing dressing. Dry heat restores some of the fish's crispness. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftover fish within 2 hours in a separate container from the salad and use within 1–2 days. 2. Reheat the fish on a rack in a 400°F oven for 6–10 minutes, until crisp and heated through to 165°F. 3. Serve with reserved undressed vegetables and fresh dressing. Eat any already-dressed salad the same day for the best texture. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.