People love their walleye. And for good reason. This freshwater fish, found in the northern United States and Canada, is easy to eat. Known for it’s mild and sweet flavor, the walleye is a favorite at countless fish fries as well as any number of festivals. You’ll find walleye on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair, and, of course, there’s the Mercury Marine National Walleye Tournament, which is part of the Walleye Weekend, an annual festival held in Fond du Lac, Wis.
For this recipe, Pat Kehoe, Director of International Partnerships at Ducks Unlimited Canada, a non-profit organization committed to the conservation of Canada’s wetlands and associated waterfowl habitats, shares his recipe for a simple, yet delicious, prosciutto-wrapped walleye.
Ingredients:
- 2 walleye fillets
- 8 strips of prosciutto
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- ½ lemon
Preparation:
The first thing you’ll want to do is preheat your grill to 350 degrees. For this video, Pat uses a pellet grill, and in case you’re wondering, pellet grills combine elements of a charcoal smoker, a gas grill and a kitchen oven. Known for their ease of use and temperature consistency, pellet grills use wood to create a unique, smoky flavor. And while many swear by their pellet grills, a gas or charcoal grill works great for this recipe, too. Now, if you are using a gas or charcoal grill, just be sure to flip your walleye over periodically to ensure it cooks evenly.
After you preheat your grill, cut your walleye fillets into approximately 3-inch pieces. Then, in a bowl combine your walleye with the Dijon mustard, using your hands to evenly cover the fish with the mustard. Next, add your freshly chopped dill and mix together. With that done, you are ready to wrap the walleye with the prosciutto.
Begin by laying a piece of prosciutto on a clean cutting board and placing a piece of walleye on top. Then, wrap the prosciutto all the way around the fish. Do this for all of the walleye. Once you have all of your walleye wrapped, squeeze some lemon juice on top of each one.
You’ll notice that Pat doesn’t use toothpicks to secure the prosciutto to the fish. That’s because, as he points out, the mustard helps the prosciutto stick to the walleye. But you certainly can use toothpicks for extra reinforcement if you like.
Now that you have your walleye dressed in its prosciutto coat, it’s time to cook your fish. Put all of your walleye on the grill and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes. Now, if you’re using a pellet grill, you won’t need to turn your walleye over. However, on a gas or charcoal grill, be sure to flip your fish over periodically to ensure that everything cooks evenly and doesn’t burn.
After the prosciutto is nicely browned, you can remove all of your fish from the grill and plate them however you see fit. Because of their size, they make a great appetizer. And there you have it – prosciutto-wrapped walleye fillets. Bon appétit!
