• Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Work with Me
    • Media Kit
    • Evolv Health: Valerie’s Story
    • Personal Stories
    • Press
    • Year in Review
  • Thermomix® Independent Consultant
    • Thermomix® Independent Consultant
    • Client Testimonials
    • Recipes Developed by Valerie
  • Projects
    • Cheesepalooza
      • Cheesepalooza Challenges
      • Cheesepalooza Participants
      • Preparation for Cheesepalooza!
      • Basic Ingredient and Supply List
      • Ingredient and Matierial Suppliers
    • Dueling Daughters Project 2014
    • Eat Alberta
    • Gramsy Glimpses
      • Gramsy Glimpses Vignettes
    • Project 2019: Valerie’s Personal Evolv Health Story
    • Project 2017: Cooking in the Kitchen With….
      • Completed Project 2017 Posts: Cooking in the Kitchen With….
      • Project 2017: Cooking in the Kitchen With… PARTICIPATE
      • Project 2017: Cooking in the Kitchen with….Schedule
    • Slow Food Edmonton Tastings
      • Participate!
    • The Canadian Food Experience Project
      • Participate!
      • Participants
      • Challenges and Round Ups
      • Canadian Food Heroes Series
  • Events
    • Baby Shower
    • Food Blogger Meetings
    • Promotions
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Reviews (Products, Books, and Events)
  • Philosophy
    • In a Nutshell
    • Local Produce/Producers
    • Slow Food
    • Teaching
  • Travel
    • Bosnia
    • British Columbia
    • California
    • Croatia
    • Culinary Tourism
    • Farmer’s Markets
    • France
    • Greece
    • Hawaii
    • Italy
    • Louisiana
    • Maritime Provinces
    • Massachusetts
    • Mexico
    • Montenegro
    • Nova Scotia
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Quebec
    • Serbia
    • United Kingdom
    • Utah
  • Trends
  • Store
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy for A Canadian Foodie
  • Valerie’s Image

A Canadian Foodie

Canadian Food Recipes; Preserving Canadian Food Practices

  • A La Carte
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Evolv Health Reboot Recipes
      • Reboot Phase 1 Mains
    • Garnishes
    • Salads
    • Sauces Dressings Rubs
    • Sides
    • Soups and Stocks
  • Breakfast & Brunch
  • Cheese
    • Blue/Stinky
    • Firm
    • Fresh
    • Hard/Pressed
    • Cheesepalooza Challenge
    • Cheesepalooza Round Up
  • Desserts
    • Cakes
    • Cookies, Bars and Squares
      • Christmas Cookies
    • Ice Cream, Sorbets and Frozen Yogurt
    • Icings/Frosting and Pastry Creams
    • Other
    • Pies and Tarts
    • Puddings
    • Sweets and Treats
  • Doughs and Crusts
    • Biscuits
    • Bread Buns and Flatbread
    • Crackers
    • Donuts, Frybreads and Such
    • Dumplings etc
    • Pasta
    • Pastry
  • Mains
    • Beef
    • Casseroles
    • Chicken/Duck/Goose/Turkey
    • Marinades and Rubs
    • Pasta Dishes
    • Pork
    • Potluck
    • Savory Pies Pastries
    • Seafood and Fish
    • Stews
    • Vegetarian
    • Veal
    • Wild Game
    • Wraps Pizzas Casual Food
  • Seasonal
    • Autumn
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Winter
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
  • Gardens
    • Foraging
    • My Garden and From My Garden
    • Preserves
    • Zone Three Harvest
  • Tastings
  • Kids
  • Canadian Food
    • Atlantic Provinces
    • Canadian Aboriginal Food
    • Canadian Berries
    • Canadian Cakes
    • Canadian Doughs
    • Canadian Drinks
    • Canadian Fish
    • Canadian Food Heroes
    • Canadian Food Main
    • Desserts
    • Grandma Maude’s Family Recipes
    • Mom Helen’s Famous Family Recipes
    • Canadian Products
    • Sunday Suppers
    • Wild Food

The Great Northern Pike

June 8, 2013 by Valerie Lugonja 10 Comments

Fresh Water Alberta Fish Fry!

Great Northern Pike

After a morning of reading The Canadian Food Experience Project first challenge posts, I was craving an Alberta fresh water fish fry! Reading Val’s post about the importance of cod to our country, and her seared cod cheek chowder and long list of ocean delights from Newfoundland, Rhonda’s post about her relationship with salt cod long before moving to Canada, Karlynn’s post about fresh water fishing and Jennifer’s post about fishing in Ontario’s Cottage Country had me literally vibrating. When I read Maya’s post about her first Halifax Canadian Fish and Chips meal, I hurled myself at the deep freeze and pulled out the remainder of the box of fresh water Great Northern Pike that I was fortunate enough to be able to buy at The Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market a couple of weeks ago.

IMG_0176

 Had the potato salad in the fridge from my post yesterday, and made a lovely tossed salad to serve on the side, rich with all sorts of yummy vegetables and some toasted nuts. Perfect. Cranked up the grill and waited for the dial to go off the chart. Frying pan went in with the butter, lid closed to heat while I floured and seasoned each fillet. There is nothing like fish fried in butter. Nothing.

IMG_0154IMG_0162

 Within minutes, the meal was ready: about 2 minutes each side at that heat.

IMG_0168

 I grew up on fresh water fish. Mainly white fish which is so delicious. The skin really is the best part! We had a family friend that used to unload his extras and my dad was so grateful and excited. I would have loved it even if I hated it because my dad was so crazy of it and worked to impress upon us how lucky we really were to have this quality of fish on our dinner table. He often went ice fishing, and we would get a load in February. Mom would fry potatoes and whip up a batch of Harvard beets with it. I thought Harvard beets was the perfect side, and was so surprised to hear that everyone didn’t eat their pan fried white fish that way.

IMG_0173

 Sadly, my own children did not grow up with that experience. But, whenever I could find some great fresh water fish, I was in! It isn’t easy to come by in the Alberta prairies unless you fish yourself. And, I don’t. Loved it the two times I went, though. However, fish and seafood are a delicacy that is cherished on our dinner table. We gorge on it when we travel near the ocean and do indulge on special occasions at home, as well. If this little stand stays open at the market, I will have a supply of The Great Northern Pike, at the very least, and I am so thankful for that. I know he fishes for it way up North, cleans it all, and it is pretty pricey… but I wouldn’t sell it for less, if I was doing all that work.

IMG_0178

 The recipe? I described the process and the pictures tell the story. I got my fill, and now on to more The Canadian Food Experience Project stories. Whatever will I crave next?

IMG_0183

Tweet3
Pin113
Share
116 Shares

Filed Under: Canadian Food, Seafood and Fish

About Valerie Lugonja

Like what you see? SUBSCRIBE TO A CANADIAN FOODIE
Educator, Writer, Gardener and Traveler who believes in buying and eating locally, and most importantly cooking at home! As a brand new Gramsy, so be prepared to hear a lot about this new role in her life!
Please connect with Valerie to buy a Thermomix Machine!

« The Canadian Food Experience Project: Potato Salad
Canadian Prairie Rhubarb Crisp »

You might also enjoy...

Saskatoons are Ready!
Rockfish AKA Pacific Red Snapper
Rockfish AKA Pacific Red Snapper
Brown Eyed Susan Cookies
Crispy Classic Italian Fried Calamari: Calamari Fritti
Crispy Classic Italian Fried Calamari: Calamari Fritti
Raspberries Are Ready!

Comments

  1. Maya says

    June 8, 2013 at 7:08 pm

    Love the story! And now you got me craving for fish 🙂 again…

    Reply
    • Valerie Lugonja says

      June 8, 2013 at 9:44 pm

      🙂
      Well, you sure motivated me, Maya!
      V

      Reply
  2. Sarah Galvin (All Our Fingers in the Pie) says

    June 8, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    I grew up on pike. We never had it with potato salad though, like the Eastern provinces. We just had it as the main course of any ordinary meal. Feels weird to call it an Alberta fish when it was so prevalent in SK and MB. I didn’t even know that AB existed way back then!

    Reply
    • Valerie Lugonja says

      June 8, 2013 at 9:40 pm

      You are absolutely right, Sarah! How egocentric of me. Canadian Pike! We have never had it with potato salad before, either… but, that is what I had, so I went with it. My husband’s culture (former Yugoslavia) makes a potato salad with onion, vinegar and oil to eat with fish and it is delicious as an accompaniment.
      🙂
      Valerie

      Reply
  3. bellini says

    June 8, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    I fished for my first pike when I moved to Alberta in the lakes south of Calgary near Brooks. Watch for the bones and they are a very delicious fish. One of the main purposes of this experiment is to excite people, create discussion about what eating Canadian means to them. Even after one day I think you have accomplished just that.

    Reply
    • Valerie Lugonja says

      June 8, 2013 at 9:42 pm

      Bellini,
      You are so right about accomplishing that one goal! The posts I read today completely motivated me, and inspired my evening meal. Now, I will be begging for fish from whom ever has extra, too!
      🙂
      V

      Reply
  4. Slav says

    June 8, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    Valerie,
    You struck a cord with me since pike has been my staple food for so many years and certainly here, at the lake, when at times the fish for dinner was on demand. 🙂 If I may offer some comments:
    1. Fileting is the big challenge with pike and it takes time but once you know what you are doing you have great meals ready
    2. Freezing pike (and any other fish) is very tricky. It is easy for fish to get rancid. I pack fileted fish quite tightly in small plastic containers and cover with water that is later drained. It tastes good even after relatively long stay in the freezer, but the sooner one eats, the better.
    3. I always season fish with good sea salt and freshly ground pepper and always leave for a few hours, overnight or even longer in the fridge. It is good to be generous with pepper, one doesn’t feel it later but fish tastes better, less “fishy”.
    4. The big thing is about frying. Superior taste is when you batter it first in flour, then beaten whole eggs and then quality small bread crumbs. Frying on butter, yes, but I think it works better half butter/half olive oil. Butter alone has a tendency to brown which is neither tasty nor healthy.
    5. Since I don’t eat grains now, the best way I figured out to fry my fish is to batter it first in a mix of potato flour and potato starch and later sink in beaten eggs only, omitting bead crumbs. Too bad. 🙂

    You made me think about eating some fish. I probably will. Maybe even straight from the lake weather and my time permits.

    Cheers,

    Slav

    Reply
    • Valerie Lugonja says

      June 8, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Thank you, Slav!
      Excellent tips. I am very careful with the freezing, but had not mentioned that, so sincerely appreciate it. However, have never frozen my fish this way, and will definitely try that. Love pepper on fish, too – but have never had seasoned it that far in advance of cooking. Lastly, was raised with the simple seasoned flouring and love the taste of brown butter. But, you are completely right. Olive oil with butter would be much healthier. Didn’t know you weren’t eating grains anymore. That must be hard, but I am sure you have good reason.
      Thank you ever so much for the detail. You cannot imagine how deeply I truly appreciate the passing on of this knowledge.
      Big hug.
      Valerie

      Reply
  5. Sarah Galvin (All Our Fingers in the Pie) says

    June 9, 2013 at 2:55 pm

    Great comments everybody. I am learning so much already. And a bonus is that I can collect some really good recipes.

    Reply
  6. Susan says

    June 15, 2013 at 7:16 pm

    Your fish looks delicious, Valerie snd reminds me of the many northern pike fish fries we had at my parents’ lake home in northern Wisconsin. I hated the fierce look of those fish 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Thermomix® Independent Consultant; Executive Team Lead Alberta

Weekly Newsletter

Saturday Morning News

More Thermomix Recipes etc »

Alberta Beef: Know-Your-Farmer Garlic Stuffed Prime Rib Roast Beef

More ACF Famous Recipes or Specialties»

Scrumptious German Fleisch Rouladen: Cooking in the Kitchen with Margaret Bose-Johnson

More Winter Recipes »

Thermomix Christmas Stollen: Mom’s Famous Recipe

More Recipes from my mom Helen »

Connect With Me!

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
projects

My Post Archives

Come On In And Kiss the Cook

Educator, Writer, Gardener and Traveler who believes in buying and eating locally, and most importantly cooking at home! [Read More …]

Connect With Me

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Rhubarb Crisp

Canadian Prairie Rhubarb Crisp

More Canadian Recipes »

Lifetime Achievement Award

Canadian Web Blog Award 2013 www.acanadianfoodie.com FIRST

Vote-for-me
Best in Food NEW
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No feed found.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

Copyright © 2025 · Website by PoundPig