Atherina

When our children were little, one of our favorite activities was going to the beach in Southold with our seine net. This net was used to catch small fish called whitebait or sperring known as "atherina " in Greek. We purchased the seine net at one of the local baitshops cum hardware stores located on the North shore of Long Island where we have a summer home. We attached small weights to the bottom of the net and attached two broom handles to either end of the net. That net and a bucket were all the children needed to keep them occupied for hours at the beach. The best beaches for this kind of net fishing were Gooseneck Beach and Cedar Beach. The fish were most plentiful in August and September. Usually Stella and Mark would manage the net and it was Angela's job to splash the water to chase the fish into the net, since she was the youngest of the group. The net bottom had to be held close to the sandy bottom
while the fish were corraled into the net and brought to shore. These fish were always found close to shore and the children could safely net them in the shallow water. After bringing the full net to shore and laying it on the sand, the children would pick out the sperring and put them in the bucket filled with sea water. Sometimes they would also catch crabs, star fish and hermit crabs in the net as well. These were always thrown back in the sea. After catching enough sperring to fill our bucket, we we would head home so Yiayia could cook their catch. She would put them in a colander to rinse them out and pick out pebbles or stray inedible fish. She would then slice a couple of onions into rings and toss them with sperring. Then she'd toss them in salt and pepper seasoned flour and fry them up in vegetable oil. After they were fried, a squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of vinegar was all that was needed. Yiayia had a special trick she used to do when making this dish. She would fill the frying pan with enough fish and onions to fill the bottom of the frying pan while the oil was very hot. When the fish looked browned on one side, she would take a plate and cover the top of the pan. She would then flip the pan over and slip the cooked side of the fish onto the plate. She then would slip the uncooked side down back into the frying pan from the plate. She always managed to do this without spilling the hot oil or burning herself. The finished product always came out of the frying pan all in one piece like an omelette. I have never been able to do this, so when I cook this dish the sperring is always in small clumps or individal pieces. I just flip the fish in the oil until they are done. This dish, served with a tomato and cucumber salad is all you could ask for after a day at the beach.

YIAYIA'S FRIED ATHERINA

2 pounds whitebait or sperring
1 large onion or 2 medium, sliced thin
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 1/12 cup of all-purpose flour
1 lemon, halved or 2 to 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
vegetable oil for frying

Rinse fish in cold water in a colander. Drain and toss in sliced onion wth the fish, Season flour with salt and pepper. Add seasoned flour to fish and onion mixture and toss well. Make sure that fish and onions are coated with flour. Heat oil in fry pan to sizzle. Add fish to pan in batches. Do not over-crowd fry pan with fish mixture, because fish will not fry up crisp. It is better to do smaller batches rather than one large one because the fish will steam and turn soggy. Do not attempt Yiayia's trick unless you are very brave and very dexterous. After frying drain fish on paper towel and then plate. Finish off with a squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of wine vinegar. Traditional accompaniment is a tomato and cucumber salad or a plate of boiled dandelion greens.

PKK