Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
European smelt
The little silver estuary fish, fine and delicate.
- Fried whole and crisp
- Quickly pan-fried in butter
- Lightly deep-fried with lemon
- In French
- Éperlan
- Scientific name
- Osmerus eperlanus
- In the water
- A small anadromous fish of the north-east Atlantic coasts, frequenting estuaries, rivers and shallow coastal waters.
- Season & buying
- Caught mainly in winter and spring; landings are very localised.
- Common length
- ~16.5 cm
- How to identify it
- Thin, streamlined silver body
Pointed head with a small mouth
Adipose fin behind the dorsal fin
On the plate
Fine, delicate and slightly sweet flesh, low in fat and very tasty.
Avoid: Freezing it without gutting it properly: its delicate flesh takes on a muddy taste.
Smelt is highly prized in northern France and Belgium, where it is often eaten fried.
In Umay recipes
2 Umay recipes call for it.
