Dubbed “fries with eyes,” most devotees love this small fish deep-fried and enjoyed as a snack. The bones of smelt are so soft and small that you hardly notice them, and their shape makes them ideal for dipping in all the sauces you can think of.
There are several varieties of smelt, and while some can be fried whole—ungutted—I find the innards of lake smelt much too bitter and grainy. Gutted or ungutted, that’s up to you.
Here’s a different way to eat smelt: in a taco. Their small size makes for maximum surface area, giving you an extra crispy filling. Although the Mexican pickles are optional, I think they make a tasty foil to the richness of this dish, providing spicy acidity that’s much needed.
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