Lemon Caper Aioli

• Before you combine all the ingredients, chop 1 tbsp of the capers finely, leaving the other tbsp whole.
• In a bowl combine the mayo, capers, zest of a whole lemon, 1/2 lemons worth of lemon juice, dijon mustard, and finely grated garlic. Mix and let the sauce sit in the fridge for a minimum of 10 minutes before eating.

Crispy Fried Smelt

Pan Fry

• Place a pan on the stove over medium heat with approximately 1/4 inch of olive oil
• Dry the cleaned smelt throughly with a paper towel, and salt with a heavy pinch of salt. *For cleaning instructions please read the body of the post.
• Working a few at a time lightly dredge the fish in flour shaking off the excess.
• Once the oil is hot, place the fish in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd it. Depending on the size of the pan, you may need to cook the fish in batches. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly golden in color.
• Remove from the oil and lightly salt. When you are ready to serve spritz with fresh lemon and serve with the lemon caper aioli.

Air Fry

• Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees (approx. 3 minutes).
• Dry the cleaned smelt throughly with a paper towel, and salt with a heavy pinch of salt. *For cleaning instructions please read the body of the post.
• Working a few at a time lightly dredge the fish in flour shaking off the excess.
• Place the fish in a single layer in the air fryer basket, still making sure you do not overcrowd the basket. Spray generously with the spray oil and cook for 4 minutes before flipping the smelt. Cook until lightly golden in color (approx. 7-9 minutes).
• When you are ready to serve spritz with fresh lemon and serve with the lemon caper aioli.