CEiMB: Crispy Fish Fingers

This is my week to choose the recipe for “Craving Ellie in My Belly” and since I am visiting Mom in New Brunswick, Canada, I decided to make something that would be native to this area and not easily obtainable in the jungles of Guatemala. Something that involved seafood seemed like a natural, so I perused Ellie’s recipes with that in mind. I thought first of making something with shrimp or clams, but Mom isn’t crazy about shellfish unless its lobster … and I didn’t know how easily other chefs could get lobster. (I, myself, will most definitely be eating at least one or two lobster rolls here before I go back). In the end, I decided on a favorite from my childhood, Crispy Fish Fingers, although in those days my “fish fingers” were called “fish sticks” and came frozen in a box.

On my way through Boston to get here, my sister-in-law gave me a couple of boxes of Panko Bread Crumbs to try (we can’t get them in Guatemala), so I decided to do an experiment and coat half of the “Fingers” with Panko Bread Crumbs (I used the Pecan Panko Breading) and the other half with the home made crumbs that Ellie suggests.

I also substituted regular mustard for the Dijon which Mom didn’t have in the house … and haddock for the flounder.

Crispy Fish Fingers

2008, Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound flounder fillets
2 eggs, beaten to mix
1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
Directions
Put the bread in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until bread crumbs form.

Toast the crumbs in a large, dry nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up the crumbs with a spoon if they begin to stick together, until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. On a plate, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Cut the fillets into 4 by 1-inch strips. A few pieces at a time, dip the fish into the flour mixture, dusting off the excess. Dip the fish in the egg and then the bread crumbs. Arrange on the baking sheet and continue until all of the fish is breaded.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chives and cayenne, if using.

Season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper and set aside until the fish is cooked.

Serving size: 6 pieces and 2 tablespoons sauce

Verdict:

I served them with mashed potatoes and cole slaw … basicly a meal right out of my childhood.

After the 10 minute suggested cooking time, I didn’t think they were cooked enough and put the back for another couple of minutes … BIG MISTAKE. Ten minutes was obviously enough. They were somewhat dried out. Fortunately, the dipping sauce was excellent and went a long way to moistening them up.

Both types of crumbs were crispy and as near as Mom and I could tell, an unnoticable difference in flavor.

I will definitely make them again … and the only difference I would make is to take them out of the oven after 10 minutes.