Salt Cured Hooligans

So last night I finally put together a container of hooligans for salt curing. Ever since I heard about the south central hooligan runs a few years ago, I've wondered if I could preserve them in the same way that Mediterraneans make anchovies. I really love anchovies, particularly on pizza or on top of a salad. See, hooligans are a type of smelt, which are oily baitfish. In fact, hooligans are so oily that another of their names are candlefish, because people used to dry them out and light them on fire to make candles. One day, I'll try that project but for now I will stick to salt curing and pan frying.

Smelts in Salts