Ever since I started getting my fish from local, community supported fisherman (see my previous post) I feel like I am getting seriously spoiled. For the past two months I think I have tasted the finest fish ever, from a delicate petrale sole, to a meaty rockfish, to ultra fresh salmon. I love using this service for many reasons, one, I am getting to eat some killer fish that even the finest restaurants don’t serve. Two, this is forcing me to get my Omega 3s weekly in a fun and sustainable way. Three, I am supporting some hard working, local fisherman! I am also putting my creativity to use, thinking of new and inventive ways to prepare the fish every week. I am excited to put these recipes in my cookbook, and share some of them here for you on my blog as gratitude to my subscribers! I will start with a tried and true recipe that works for my entire family (read, even my ultra picky 3 year old loves this)…my Spanish style white fish. One of the best trips I have ever taken in my life was to Malaga Spain. I had just graduated from college, and went with 5 other feisty women, all in our early 20s. We hung out at the beach by day, feasted on seafood and wine at midnight, partied until sunrise, and capped it all off with churros y chocolate at around 6:00 am before going to sleep for the first half of the day.Then did it all over again for Fourteen. Straight. Days. One of my favorite dishes was an almond crusted fish that I try to recreate at home. This is my best interpretation of the dish I ate, and every time I eat it I think of driving through Malaga in a jeep, smelling the salty ocean air, and stopping to dine al fresco in one of their seaside restaurants.
You can use any kind of white fish for this recipe—so long as it is firm enough to stand up to pan frying. Cod, sole, and rockfish all work well. I love using almond meal with the breadcrumbs for the coating, because not only does it turn beautiful golden brown and give it a nutty flavor, but it’s chock full of vitamin E, antioxidants, and some Omega 3s as well. Serve with some veggies and crusty bread and you are good to go!
Check out my video for the easy technique!
4 4 oz filets of white fish
1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup of almond meal, or ground almonds
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
Lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped almonds
Salt to taste
1 egg, beaten
Olive oil
Spread the flour on one flat plate. In a bowl, whisk the egg with 2 tbs lemon juice. On another plate, mix together the almond meal, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, and salt to taste. Dredge the fish fillets in the flour, then coat with the beaten egg, then dredge them again in the almond cheese mixture. Heat up a large skillet with about 1 tbs of olive oil. Place fillets in pan and cook for about 4 minutes or until golden brown, then flip over and cook for another 4 minutes. If the fillets are really thick, you can continue cooking them buy transferring them to an oven and baking them for 10 more minutes at 400 degrees. Drizzle the fish with lemon juice, and top with chopped almonds. Serve warm with some more lemon wedges if desired.
I lived in Aleppo for 2 1/2 years and am pleased to find your blog with so many of my favorite foods. Do you have a recipe for the candied stuffed eggplants served by some women in their homes as a dessert or treat when they have callers around 5 p.m.? I would love to know how to make them.
Oh my goodness that sounds so interesting! I must say I have never tried anything like that–must be indigenous to Syria. I will have to research this from my Syrian friends! Thanks for visiting 😉