Sautéed Smelts Or Anchovies

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds smelts or fresh anchovies
• 1 cup milk or buttermilk, or as needed to cover
• 1 cup fine cornmeal or flour or a combination
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter or olive oil
• Lemon wedges
• Hide ingredients for (Aïoli, Rémoulade Sauce, or Tartar Sauce) 1 (Aïoli, Rémoulade Sauce, or Tartar Sauce) (opens in new tab) (Aïoli, Rémoulade Sauce, or Tartar Sauce)
  • 4 to 6 garlic cloves, to taste
  • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • (White pepper to taste)
  • 1 cup olive oil (preferably ¾ cup refined olive oil and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon cold water

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Mince or mash to a paste: 4 to 6 garlic cloves, to taste
  2. Place in a bowl and whisk together with: 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; ⅛ teaspoon salt; (White pepper to taste)
  3. Very slowly, and whisking constantly, add, as for Mayonnaise I: 1 cup olive oil (preferably ¾ cup refined olive oil and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
  4. Whisk in: 1 teaspoon lemon juice; ½ teaspoon cold water