Crumbed sh master recipe
SERVES 4
Panko or crumbed fish is one of the simplest ways to prepare fish and is widely loved by kids and adults alike. This recipe can be used for a large variety of seafood – from flathead, flake or rock ling to lovely, butterflied fillets like garfish or whiting. The crunchy crumb contrasts beautifully with the delicately cooked fish within. You can serve crumbed fish as it comes, or with a fresh salad. Either way, panko fish is delicious with mayo, so make sure you have some on the side!
400g fish fillets of your choice salt flakes freshly ground black pepper
150g plain flour
180g panko or coarse breadcrumbs (see Notes)
bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped (optional)
olive oil for frying
mayonnaise, to serve
1 Pat dry the fish fillets, lay them flat on a board and season with a little salt. If you’re using a strongly flavoured or oily fish, you can add pepper here as well. Set the fish aside.
2 Place the flour in a deep bowl and whisk together with 250ml (1 cup) of water – it should be just enough to create a light batter to dip the fillets into. The batter shouldn’t be too watery and not as thick as fish and chip batter; all we are trying to achieve here is a preparatory base for the crumb.
3 In another deep bowl add the breadcrumbs and parsley.
4 Dip a piece of fish into the flour and water mix, removing any excess on the side of the bowl, then transfer directly to the crumb mixture. Use your fingers to press the crumb gently onto fish until it is well coated – when you lift it out of the bowl crumbs should stay in place. Transfer to a separate plate; repeat with the rest of the fish.
5 Place the crumbed fillets in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before frying.
6 Preheat a non-stick frying pan with olive oil to a depth of 2cm over medium heat. To test the oil, drop in a piece of the crumb – if it sizzles immediately, you’re good to go. The aim is to fry the fillets until golden on both sides. A thinner fillet such as garfish will only take 1–2 minutes per side; something thicker like rock ling may take double the time. For crumbing, it’s a good idea to choose fillets 1cm thick or less – they will cook quickly and evenly. Don’t let the oil smoke, and ensure you remove excess crumb or replace the oil if you’re doing a big batch.
7 Serve with mayo and a light salad on the side.
NOTES
We always make our own breadcrumbs and store them in an airtight container. It’s the sort of thing you can do whenever you have leftover bread. Let your bread go stale for 1–2 days, pop it in the oven at 100°C (conventional) for around 5–10 minutes to take the moisture out, then pulse in a food processor. Don’t pulverise crumb – chop it just so it’s a nice, chunky texture with some finer elements.