Fried Garfish | Marmara-Style Crispy, Flour-Dusted Fish Rings

Hold the fish’s head perpendicular to its body and pull; most of the innards should come away with the head. Scrape the remaining cavity with your fingertip and rinse under cold water. Rinse until the water runs clear after you remove all the dark membrane inside the belly; leaving it behind makes the fried fish taste bitter.

Cut the cleaned fish into 6 cm-long rings. Garfish has a single, large backbone running down the center, so you will feel resistance when the knife touches it. Do not force the blade; press it forward to cut through.

Pat the rings thoroughly dry with paper towels and toss them with salt and black pepper. Mix the wheat flour and cornmeal on a plate, coat the fish in the mixture, and shake off the excess. No loose flour should remain on the surface; it will sink into the oil and burn.

Heat the oil in a wide skillet to 175°C / 345°F. The temperature is right when a pinch of flour immediately bubbles and rises to the surface. Arrange the rings without crowding the pan, leaving about a finger-width of space between them, and fry for 3 minutes per side. The fish is cooked when the coating is golden and the backbone begins to separate from the flesh on its own.

Transfer the browned rings to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Thinly slice the onion and toss it with the arugula, then serve it alongside the fish. Squeeze the lemon at the table; adding it earlier softens the crust.