Baked Fish and Chips

Hope all of you are keeping warm in this polar vortex!  Houston has been warm one day, ice day the next. Story of Houstonian's lives...all we can do is just adapt daily and hope that one of those days will at least give us a good hair day!

A couple times of year I get intense cravings for fish and chips.  The beer battered fried goodness is perfect with a splash of malt vinegar, good tartar sauce, and a generous helping of chips.  My mouth waters even as I wrote that sentence. Although these fried fishies are crazy delicious, they are not so kind to my insides (or outsides).

Which brings me to this meal of BAKED fish and chips.  No deep frying, no smelly oil permeating through your home, and no guilt.  These fish are baked with a crispy panko coating served alongside some baked chips that are simply tossed in olive and sea salt. A side of crispy veggies and tangy sweet tartar sauce, you have a delicious and healthy meal that can't be found in some British pub!

I used cod, since that was what was on sale at the grocers and it was wild caught from the USofA.  The key to good fish and chips is a firm white fish, so use cod, haddock, halibut, flounder, or even tilapia.  Whatever you use, make sure it's fresh and preferably wild caught and not farm raised.

Baked Chips:

Potatoes tossed w/ olive oil, herbs, & sea salt

1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes

1 tbs. olive oil

fresh herbs (whatever strikes your fancy)

sea salt

Slice potatoes very thin and soak in warm water for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Drain potatoes and dry THOROUGHLY!  This is important for crispy chips. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, herbs, and as much sea salt as you wish.  Spread the potatoes out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place on the top rack in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.



As the chips are baking, work on your fish.

Seasoned cod fillets

Baked Panko Crusted Fish and Tartar Sauce:

1 1/2 lbs firm, white fish

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tbs chili powder

1 tbs ground black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 eggs

sea salt

coarse black pepper

1/2 cup mayo with olive oil

2 sweet gherkins, chopped

1 tbs chopped dill

hot sauce

zest of one lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

sea salt

coarse black pepper

Spread panko crumbs onto another rimmed baking sheet and pop into the oven on the bottom rack.  Toast for 5 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile, rinse and dry your fish and cut into appropriate sizes.  Season with salt and pepper on both sides of the fish.

Now let's prepare your assembly line!  Take out your panko crumbs and place into a deep dish.  Prepare the flour mixture by combining the flour with the chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, and sea salt. Beat the eggs in a separate dish. Prepare a baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper and a spray of oil for your fish.

The order for the fish will be to cover in flour, dip in egg, cover in panko crumbs.  Place on prepared baking sheet.

BACK TO THE CHIPS:  Reduce oven heat to 350, flip the chips and place this baking sheet on the bottom rack.  Keep an eye on the chips and bake until they have browned and crisped up.

Place fish on the top rack and bake until the fish are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

As the fish bake, prepare your tartar sauce.  Combine the mayo with the chopped sweet gherkins, dill, a few splashes of hot sauce, lemon zest, and juice of half a lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir until everything is contributed and place in fridge until ready to use.  Soooo much tastier than that bottle of mediocrity you find at the grocery store!

Tartar sauce

Take out the crispy fish and chips and serve with slices of lemon, tartar sauce, and some crisp vegetables.  ENJOY!!