Wayne Izumi’s Famous Fish Fry

My dad, Wayne, and uncle Bob have been making THE BEST fried fish since I can remember. They fry perch and walleye like it’s nobody’s business. When these platters of fish come out, it goes quicker than any meal I’ve seen. 

TIP: FRESH FISH

I think the top factors are: fresh fish, there’s absolutely no denying that. The perch or walleye is always caught by my dad or Bob, or one of their friends (or in this last case, Yale and I!), and it is always sourced from locally. So that is key. But also, they clearly have a good system down pat…and lastly, there must be some extra Izumi magic added in there. Grandpa Joe, their dad, was a chef after all!

Yale’s catch out of Picton, Ontario with Bay of Quinte Charters.

Wayne’s Fish Fry Recipe

Here is my dad’s recipe. It’s super simple too. The hardest part is definitely catching the fish!

• Filet the fish (this part I suppose can be hard if you’re new at it)

• Put filets in ice cubes and water for half hour.

• Then soak in milk for 15 minutes.

• Fire up frying pan very hot with olive oil and butter.

• Coat filets with favourite coating (this is my dad’s way of not giving away all his secrets I think. But to my knowledge, there is usually some panko mixed with another crumbly breading)

• Drop coated filets into the pan for 3 minutes each side, until totally golden. *most people overcook.

The end. So simple right?! And sooooooo tasty. Mouthwatering, I-want-to-eat-the-whole-plate, tasty.

We love to pair our fish with a Pinot or a Sauvignon Blanc from Between The Lines Winery in Niagara on the Lake (check out my blog here for my favourite Niagara wineries)

Walleye and Perch Fish Fry go great with lemon squeezed on top. (kids LOVE it, and it’s an easy way for them to get their protein).

It also goes well with white wine!