A tender and flavorful baked fish with a crispy fried coating
Tales of the Dinner Belle
By Brenda Stanley
Fish is often an intimidating dish to prepare. If you overcook it, it can be dry and tough, and because it is quick to fix, the right amount of baking or frying can be tricky. I love fish. I not only love the flavor, but also the health benefits that come with it. It is low in fat and calories and has lots of vitamins and other nutrients. My crispy baked cod is a favorite at my house and one I will often prepare for guests. It only takes about 20 minutes and it always comes out tender and full of flavor. There are two cooking steps in this recipe but don’t let that keep you from trying this. The frying give the fish a crispy crust, and the baking infuses it with a tasty lemon and butter sauce. Cod is the fish I like best for this recipe because it is a firm white fish. You could also use halibut. You can serve it with my spicy tartar sauce, but this dish is so good, you may not even need it!
Belle’s Crispy Baked Cod
4 (4 ounce) pieces of cod
2 eggs
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Belle’s Spicy Tartar Sauce
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the tartar sauce and place in the fridge to chill. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish place the butter. Put the dish in the oven just until the butter is melted. Remove and stir in the lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper. Set the dish aside.
On a plate, place the panko. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Dip just one side of the fish in the egg and then the panko. Place in the hot oil panko side down. Fry just that one side until the bread crumbs are browned and crispy. Remove from the frying pan and place crispy side up in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil. Bake 15 minutes. Serve with the tartar sauce.
If you love delicious fish recipes, try this one:
What I use and where to get it:
