Sauté lake fish for flavor

Q My husband and sons are avid fishermen and bring home their limits of walleye, northern pike, sunfish and crappies. I love frying them in seasoned flour or deep-frying them in a beer batter, but would really like more options. I find plenty of recipes for fish, but they almost always designate saltwater fish or salmon. Do you have any more ideas about how to prepare our good freshwater fish?

A Relax, because nearly any recipe you like for saltwater fish can be done with freshwater ones.

Because your fish is fresh out of the water, start experimenting with a recipe that's all about the subtle flavors of walleye and northern, and even the sunfish and crappies. You can play around with seasonings, but the essential technique does not change: Slow-cook your fish over low heat in a covered skillet in some good-tasting butter or olive oil. The fish remains moist, its flavors clear and fresh. With a squeeze of lemon juice, the pan juices become a sauce.

Another approach is a lakeside stew that my associate, Judy Budreau, does with her family. She layers fish (usually skinned and boned) on the bottom of a pot that can go over hot coals, sprinkling the fish with chopped parsley, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, sliced onion, generous garlic and some salt and black pepper.

She covers the fish with white wine or fish broth (I've cheated and used chicken broth with good results), simmering the mixture until the fish is cooked through (about 5 to 10 minutes). She transfers the fish to soup bowls, ladles the liquid over it and tops each serving with a pat of butter.

The kids toast bread over the fire and rub it with garlic. Together, the stew and the garlic bread are pretty sensational. Obviously, the same recipe could be done with saltwater fish. (See recipe on T2.)

Q Our apartments share a patio, so we all party together on weekends. Our heat gets so bad we're considering giving up alcohol for a while. It's threatening my good ol' boy status, but there it is. Can you help us out?

A I realize this is only a temporary situation, but these solutions could take you through the rest of the summer. We've used these ideas for several years now and they still get kudos. Adjust the formulas to your taste.

• Nectarine-Raspberry Tea with Fresh Basil: Purée ripe, sweet nectarines and raspberries. Strain into a pitcher, add brewed and cooled black tea, several torn basil leaves and sugar to taste. Serve with lime wedges.

• Black Pepper Lemonade with Watermelon: Black pepper gives lemonade a special sparkle. Make a sugar syrup of 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, bruised. Simmer until the syrup is clear. Cool it and strain.

Pour this into a big pitcher, adding 1/2 to 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and water to taste. Just before serving, add ice and small pieces of watermelon.

• Pineapple-Mango Chili Cup: Blend unsweetened pineapple and mango juices with fresh lemon to taste. Add hot chili pepper flakes until there is a little zing. Pour into a pitcher along with bubbly mineral water. Chill and serve over ice, garnished with skewers of pineapple and mango chunks.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table" radio show from American Public Media, and is co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper." To reach her, see www.splendidtable.org.