FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FEAST ~ SESAME BROILED GREAT LAKES WHITEFISH with CHERRY SALSA

Great Lakes Whitefish: The Great Fish

"Michigan is surrounded by the largest freshwater system in the world, commonly known as the Great Lakes. With 6 quadrillion gallons of water, this amazing ecosystem is home to many species of fantastic fish, including the delicious and versatile Great Lakes whitefish.Michigan fishermen are out every day, early in the morning, on the pristine waters to bring back the freshest, best-tasting wild-caught whitefish for your plate. By choosing Michigan whitefish you are assured the most flavorful fish: packed with Omega-3 fatty acids that make it a powerhouse of nutrition."

~ Great Lakes Whitefish

~ Icy Sunset

( Great 'inland' lake ~ Hubbard Lake )

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SESAME BROILED GREAT LAKES WHITEFISH with CHERRY SALSA

~ This delicious whitefish recipe, adapted from Great Lakes Whitefish, is paired with another of Michigan's finest offerings, cherries, making this 'trial & error' combo a recipe even 'fish haters' might find hard to resist.

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4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon

4 fresh (or thawed) whitefish fillets

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

6 Tbsp. sesame seeds

fresh lemon wedges

• Preheat broiler and broiler pan.
• Meanwhile, combine melted butter with lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle fish on both sides with salt & pepper to taste and butter-lemon juice mixture. Place on broiler pan.
• Broil 5 inches from heat source, 6-12 minutes per inch of thickest part of fillet, basting once or twice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and continue to broil until seeds are golden brown, 1-2 minutes. To check for doneness, fish should be opaque and flake easily with pricked with fork. Serve topped with Cherry Salsa, lemon wedges and a bottle of 'award-winning' Michigan wine.

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CHERRY SALSA

~ This spicy recipe is compliments of the Cherry Marketing Institute

1 1/3 cups frozen unsweetened tart cherries

1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 Tbsp. seeded and chopped jalapenos

1 finely chopped clove garlic

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. cornstarch

• Coarsely chop frozen tart cherries. Let cherries thaw and drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. cherry juice. Combine thawed or fresh cherries, dried cherries, onion, jalapenos, garlic, and cilantro in medium saucepan; mix well. Combine reserved cherry juice and cornstarch in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir into cherry mixture. Cook stirring constantly over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened. Let cool. Serve with fish (grilled poultry, roast pork or with tortilla chips).