There comes a point every winter when Ryan just needs to get out of the house, fishing pole in hand, and catch something. Anything!
Luckily for me, when he goes freshwater fishing on Cape Cod during the winter, he will sometimes come home with yellow perch. This means we get to eat freshly caught, local fish during the winter. Wahoo!
Nevertheless, even if you're reading this during the warmer months, you can still use this recipe for just about any white fish - fresh or saltwater.
The cajun seasoning and the mix of cornmeal and flour will have you right back to the days of after school dinners of fish sticks, french fries and lots of ketchup.
The Story Behind My Fish Stick Inspiration
After Ryan and I had been dating for a few years, I finally announced that it was time he came down to South Carolina to spend a week with my parents. They loved him already, so really there was no pressure at all.
In the south, people are so welcoming, friendly and always eager to feed you, so when word got around that my boyfriend was coming to town, you better believe there was a block party to welcome him.
The neighborhood threw us a low country boil, which is similar to a New England clam bake. The low country boil was complete with crawfish, corn, sausage links and potatoes, all dumped out on a table for the taking.
It was delicious, but what I remember most about that meal was what came right before it...
One of the neighbors was an angler who had caught dozens of crappies the day before. He had filleted and fried all the crappies, and I was shocked at how delicious they were. I honestly never knew that freshwater fish could taste so good.
Unfortunately the name, fried crappie, will always stick with me because when I heard it, I was appalled that we were going to eat something referred to as a crappie. Yet of course when I tried it I instantly fell in love.
Crappies can be found in ponds and lakes throughout Massachusetts, but they are less plentiful on Cape Cod. Fortunately here on the Cape we have plenty of white and yellow perch, which can be used to achieve the same delicious results.
A white perch caught through the ice will make great cajun fish sticks.
This yellow perch will be perfect as a fish stick.
The Recipe
Cajun fried perch and crappie fish sticks is a quick and easy recipe. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a good side dish to serve alongside it.
You can either fry the perch and crappie in a pan with some oil, or throw them in your air fryer.
To view the detailed recipe please scroll below, or click here to print a hard copy.
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As always, please let me know if you try this fish stick recipe by leaving me a comment below.
Happy Cooking 🍽
