Cooler News

Yellow Ned, better known as Yellow Perch has a short 3 month season each year. Every menu that boasts of local product should feature this highly managed local fish. Yellow perch is a favorite to locals due to it's very sweet flavor profile. Please let us know of the recipes you come up with, we would love to feature them here on the the site. Perch are small in size (7-12 inch average) so we offer them both whole and dressed, too small for fillet. In Chesapeake Bay, adult yellow perch migrate from the lower parts of the tributaries to the upper regions in search of suitable spawning habitat to late February. Males reach maturity between 1&3, while females 2&3 and can produce between 5,000 and 109,000 eggs. This roe is one of the most delicious parts of the fish! Many Chef's purchase the whole fish just for the sweet roe.Yellow perch are known to live as long as 13 years.

Yellow perch season is upon us again!

 I know you will all be pushing it from now until March 1^st!!  Remember, this season starts VERY slow and then comes on very strong the second half of February.  

Please see the public notice from the Secretary (below) about the tagging policy which has CHANGED for the beginning of the season:

PUBLIC NOTICE
MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
FISHERIES SERVICE
2012 COMMERCIAL YELLOW PERCH MODIFICATION

The Secretary of Maryland Department of Natural Resources pursuant to COMAR 08.02.21.04 announces a modification to the tagging and reporting requirements for the 2012 commercial yellow perch fishery.  Effective January 1, 2012, commercial yellow perch fishermen will be required to attach a paper tag issued by the Department to all containers of yellow perch caught for commercial purposes prior to landing.  Fishermen are required to complete the requested information on the paper tags prior to landing.  Individual fish do not need to be tagged until January 21, 2012.  The paper tags will satisfy the tagging requirement for yellow perch through January 20, 2012, at which time plastic locking tags will be issued for individual tagging of each commercially caught yellow perch.  Yellow perch fishermen are still required to call in their daily harvest and must include the fish dealer they are selling the fish to with the harvest data.  Fish dealers must hold the paper tags untilMarch 10, 2012.  All other regulations for the commercial yellow perch fishery will remain in effect. 

John R. Griffin
Secretary
Maryland Department of Natural Resources

 Recipes

YELLOW PERCH EGGS AND PASTA

Oil
Yellow perch eggs
Pressed garlic (about a clove for each ¼ cup of eggs)
Salt, lemon, pepper, paprika
White wine
Chicken Bouillon Cube
Pasta, preferably spaghetti or linguini

First remove the perch eggs from their sacks. I kept them in a bowl of cold water while doing so, then strained after all membrane had been removed. Splash a little oil in a pan, and saute the perch eggs and garlic. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and paprika. Meanwhile, dissolve a chicken bouillon cube in a glass of white wine and add to the pan. Simmer to reduce and pour over spaghetti.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND PERCH
3 pounds perch, dressed 1 cup orange juice
1½ teaspoons salt 3 tablespoons cream sherry
¼ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 medium, sliced mushrooms 1 tablespoon flour
½ cup sliced onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
Preheat oven to 450˚F. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place
fish in a baking dish.
In a bowl, combine mushrooms, onions and green pepper;
spread vegetable mixture over fish. Combine remaining
ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring
frequently until mixture thickens. Pour sauce over fish and
vegetables. Bake at 450˚F for 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes
easily with a fork.
Makes 4 servings.

HEAVENLY BROILED PERCH
3 pounds perch, dressed ¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 chopped green onions
½ cup grated Parmesan ¼ teaspoon salt
cheese 3 dashes hot pepper sauce
¼ cup margarine, softened
Place fish on an oiled baking pan. Brush with lemon juice and
let stand in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Combine remaining
ingredients. Brush mixture over fish and broil about 4 inches
from source of heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily
with a fork.
Makes 4 servings.

PERCH IN FOIL
3 pounds perch, dressed ½ teaspoon salt
1 sliced celery ½ teaspoon paprika
1 sliced onion ¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup margarine, melted 4 pieces aluminum foil
2 tablespoons lemon juice 12"x12"
Preheat oven to 450˚F. Lightly oil aluminum foil pieces. Place
fish on foil. Top with celery and onion. Combine remaining
ingredients. Pour mixture over fillets. Close the foil tightly
on all edges with double folds. Place packages in oven and
bake 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.

OVEN-FRIED PERCH
3 pounds perch, dressed ½ teaspoon thyme
¾ cup Italian seasoned salt and pepper to taste,
bread crumbs ½ cup milk
1½ teaspoons seafood (skim milk may be used)
seasoning
Combine bread crumbs, seafood seasoning and thyme. Season
milk with salt and pepper. Dip perch in seasoned milk and
dredge through seasoned bread crumb mixture, coating all
sides. Place in lightly oiled baking dish. Bake at 450˚F about
6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Makes 4 servings.

Click here to see all the Maryland Seafood Recipes