Looking for ideas on how to prepare fish fillets? I noticed a fish frying station at the market the other day, so although it’s not the method I prefer most, it seems to be a popular one. You don’t need a deep fryer. It’s simple to fry in a skillet.
When I asked my husband for suggestions on preparing the rockfish fillets I had bought, he said “breaded with panko and maybe seasoned with lemon and garlic”. Are you familiar with panko bread crumbs? They’re super crispy and don’t soak up a lot of oil. So if crispness is what you’re after, try them. I have been using a lot of lemons lately and decided to season with sumac instead. After tasting the dinner, my husband mentioned enjoying the lemon. So there you go. If you were wondering what sumac tastes like, it has a tart, lemon-like flavor. It’s a spice that is ground from berries and I often forget it’s in my cabinet. It’s delicious and I should really use it more frequently.
Why don’t I fry fish more often? Probably because I use more dishes than other methods and end up slopping flour onto the counter, meaning more cleanup afterwards. But when I remind myself that it’s worth pleasing the darling guy who requested it, it’s not such a big deal. Here’s what you need:
- a plate of flour
- seasoning of your choice (salt, sumac and garlic powder are what I used)
- beaten egg in a shallow dish
- a plate of panko crumbs
- a clean platter for the breaded fish
- grapeseed oil (or other oil with a high smoke point)
Season the fish or the flour. Dredge the fish fillets one by one first in the flour, then the egg and then the panko. Put them on a clean plate until you’re ready to cook them. Preheat a skillet with grapeseed oil. Once hot, reduce heat to medium and add the fish fillets. Cook a couple minutes on each side until golden brown.
I served baked fennel and potatoes topped with parmesan as a side dish. Plated with Kalamata olives and capers, but they missed their photo opp. Oops! What else might you serve with this meal?
A reader previously asked about keeping left over fried fish crispy. As much as I often recommend making more than you need for one meal and repurposing leftovers, there are some things that simply lose quality after refrigeration. Fried fish is one of them. Make only the amount you intend to eat immediately. If you happen to have some left over, you can heat it up in the oven the next day, but don’t expect it to get very crispy. If you want some crunch, toast some bread instead and put the fish on a sandwich.
For another idea on how to prepare fish, read How to Quickly Poach Fish That’s Delicious.