South Branch Lake Broiled Bass

"We’re in prime bass waters, so this recipe is one of our specialties. A ‘keeper’ is two and a quarter pounds and up. Bass lay their eggs when it’s warm, but if it gets cool they’ll abandon the eggs and start all over again when it warms up, spawning up to six times that way. So, when weather changes back and forth from warm to cool, bass are on the move — which makes for the best fishing.”- Russ Aldridge

• 4 to 6 Bass fillets approximately ¼ pound each 
• 1 ½ sticks of butter 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 medium clove garlic finely chopped 
• ¼ to ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs 
• 1 lemon 
• fresh parsley

To fillet the fish, you’ll need a 6-inch thin-blade fillet knife. Start at the back of the head, where the fin ends, and enter with the knife approximately one inch deep. Follow down to the tailbone and repeat the process, following along the rib cage. Place the fillet, skin side down, on a cutting board. Hold the tail, end down with a fork, and take the knife and cut down through the tail section. Turn the blade away from you and peel the fillet off the skin in an outward directions. Repeat the process on the other side.

Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the lemon juice and garlic. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. Brush some of the butter mixture on the bottom of a large glass baking dish. Place the fillets in the dish and brush or spoon the remaining butter mixture over the fish.

Sprinkle the fillets with seasoned breadcrumbs and place pan under a broiler until the tops of the fish are golden brown and the meat is flaky (approximately 6 to 8 minutes). Garnish with lemon wedge and parsley.

From The Maine Sporting Camp Cookbook by Alice Arlen