TODD MARSEE
The French use a term, “terroir,” to define how a region’s terrain, soil and sunlight influence the favor of a wine or cheese.
But terroir isn’t limited to land. The quality of a lake, stream or pond – the currents, the mineral content, rainfall and temperature – all inform the culinary character of a fish. Take Lake Superior trout, for example – the meat is firm and flinty-sweet, quite like its pure deep, icy water home.
Beyond great taste, I like that when I buy Lake Superior fish, I know my dollars support small family fisheries that follow regulations designed to protect the fish and keep our waters clean. Most other countries don’t impose such restrictions, yet 90 percent of the seafood eaten by Americans is imported from far away shores.
But the tides are turning, thanks to groups like the national Sea Grant. This network of professionals works to conserve coastal, marine and Great Lakes fish through research, education and promotion. Sea Grant materials often become my primary source of information about Lake Superior fish, including options on preparing it.
One of Todd Marsee artworks made while an artist in residence.
Sometimes you find unexpected gems on Sea Grant websites, like both the art and the recipes contributed by Todd Marsee, a graphic designer for the Michigan branch of Sea Grant who was an artist-in-residence at
Todd Marsee poses beside the water in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. On the Michigan Sea Grant site, Todd reveals his camp dish of whitefish and on-hand ingredients in his park cabin. “My usual recipe is very simple (grilled fish with butter, garlic, oregano and sea salt), but since I had very few of those ingredients (What!? No butter!?), I tried this instead,” he writes of his Broiled Lake Whitefish with Pesto & Oyster Mushrooms.
Todd, like me, prefers buying local. Commercial fishing began in the Great Lakes in the 1820s. Our local fisherfolk today use gill nets or live traps designed to let the smaller fish through the webbing while the crew hand-grades and returns the smaller caught fish to the Lake.
Lake Superior’s commercial fisheries haul in and process fish fillets every day, mostly from April to December, which guarantees freshness. Around Bayfield, there is some fishing of herring, even through the ice, according to fisherman Stephen Dahl.
Commercial fishing shuts down during the short spring spawning season to support populations and respect the yearly limit set by the DNR, even if the fisherfolk might sometimes dispute that the limit is smaller than it needs to be.
To increase supply of local fish, fish farms are on the rise. Today, Wisconsin leads the Great Lakes region in farmed trout, Arctic char, Atlantic salmon, Pacific white shrimp, yellow perch and tilapia. Using sustainable methods that recirculate water in a biosecure environment, the fish are safe from predators, and because they stay healthy, there’s no need for antibiotics.
Sea Grant websites for Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan offer extensive information about Lake Superior fish, even location maps.
Kendra Wills, extension educator at Michigan State University, says there’s no better way to help protect the quality of our lakes than by supporting the commercial fisheries working hard to keep it clean.
I’ve hooked a few Sea Grant recipes, two shared here and more at www.LakeSuperior.com, that you can either use with commercially harvested fish now … or wait to catch your own this summer.
Todd’s Broiled Lake Whitefish with Pesto & Oyster Mushrooms
Use any fish you like for this simple, weeknight recipe. Whitefish, lake trout and salmon work especially well. This is a camp recipe, so the amount of each ingredient depends totally on what’s on hand or your taste.
Ingredients:
2 fillets lake whitefish
Enough to slather pesto (homemade is best, of course)
1 or more cloves garlic, chopped
1 or more onion
1 or more sweet potato
A handful of oyster mushrooms
Instructions:
Set oven to broil (525° F) and spread the desired amount of pesto on top of fillets. Pop these in the oven for 10 or so minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
Caramelize onions, garlic and sweet potato. Add oyster mushrooms right at the end so they retain their texture, but get warm. Spread all this on top of the lake whitefish fillets. (I separated out the sweet potatoes).
Serve with shredded kale and toasted bread.
Since it’s often just me, I wrap the leftover fillet and sides in some aluminum foil and freeze it for later (bonus!).
Suggested sides: sweet potatoes, kale, bread.
Smoked Lake Herring Spread
Our lake herring, according to Sea Grant, is not truly herring, but a relative of the whitefish. It’s delicate, clean-tasting and easy to cook. Some call it the “sole” of the lake. Once smoked, its flavor becomes rich and robust. This spread by Marie S. Fegley of Duluth may be prepared a day ahead.
Serves 10 to 20
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber
1 c. (about 5 oz.) smoked lake herring
2 Tbsp. celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Dash black pepper
1/4 c. mayonnaise
Garnish:
lemon rind, finely grated capers to sprinkle flat-leaf parsley sprigs
Instructions:
Cut 1 inch from each end of the cucumber to achieve uniform slices. Run the tines of a fork lengthwise and deep into the cucumber peel to form a pattern. Slice to 1/4-inch thick.
Carefully flake the herring into a bowl and discard the bones. Using a fork, mash together the ingredients (not the garnishes). Place a teaspoon of the herring mash on each cucumber slice and spread to cover. Garnish each slice with a pinch of the grated lemon rind, two capers and a small sprig of parsley.
Sesame Fish Sticks
Use any fish you like for this simple, weeknight recipe. Whitefish, lake trout and salmon work especially well.
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
3 to 4 fish steaks, about 1-inch thick
3 tsp. vegetable oil
2 c. soft, whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 tsp. vegetable salt
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Garnish:
lemon rind, finely grated capers to sprinkle flat-leaf parsley sprigs
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Oil a baking pan. Set each fish steak on the pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, sesame seeds, thyme and melted butter. Spread this over the top of the steaks. Bake uncovered until the fish flakes easily, about 30 minutes.
Lake Michigan Fish Chowder
I, of course, suggest substituting any Lake Superior fish for this Wisconsin Sea Grant recipe, though trout and whitefish work especially well. Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 medium whitefish or lake trout, cut into chunks
3 Tbsp. (heaping) bacon fat
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 c. celery leaves, chopped
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
4 large potatoes, peeled and dice
enough to cover milk (about 2 cups)
2 c. fish stock
to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste chili powder
Instructions:
Place the fish is a large pot and cover with water. Set over medium heat, bring to a boil and cook until they flake apart, about 15 minutes. Remove the fish from the pot and reserve the stock. Flake the fish and remove and discard the bones.
Set a soup pot over medium heat and melt bacon fat. Add the onions, celery leaves and carrots and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir the fish stock and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are just tender. Add the fish and enough milk to cover the ingredients. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and chili powder.
Beth Dooley, a regular contributor, is equally comfortable in a kitchen or a kayak.