Baked Walleye With Hazelnuts and Sage

Walleye Baked With Hazelnuts and Sage

by Lucia Watson

Serve this simple dish in the fall when the water is ice-cold and the walleye tastes really fresh. It is just as good made with catfish or any firm, white-fleshed fish. But then I also like it with trout.

To serve two . . .

2 cleaned, fresh walleye fillets

2 tbsp. butter, plus a little more to grease the cookie sheet

2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage

1 tbsp. toasted and lightly chopped hazelnuts

Salt and pepper

Fresh lemon squeeze

Preheat the oven to 375°. If necessary, rinse the fish in ice-cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Lay the fish on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake the fish about 10-15 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and tender.

Meanwhile, melt the butter. Just before the fish is done baking, add the sage to the butter, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Spoon the butter and sage over the fish and sprinkle hazelnuts on top. Serve with wild rice and baked acorn squash.