Crispy Fish With Mango Ceviche
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY FISH WITH A LEMONY AND DILL CRUST ON THE OUTSIDE AND TENDER WHITE FLAKEY FISH IN THE INSIDE THIS DISH IS TRULY A CROWD PLEASER, SO MANY FLAVORS SO MANY TEXTURES. THIS GOES GREAT WITH MY VEGAN MANGO CEVICHE BECAUSE WERE COOKING UP THE RAW VEGGIES AND MANGO IN LIME JUICE. IF YOUR VEGAN OF COURSE SKIP OUT ON THE FISH AND STICK WITH THE MANGO CEVICHE WHICH IS OUT OF THIS WORLD. I PERSONALLY LOVE COOKING THE FISH ON THE SPOT AND SERVING IT RIGHT AWAY SO YOU CAN GET THAT PERFECTLY CRISP COATING. THIS ENTRÉE IS PERFECT FOR LUNCH, DINNER, GATHERINGS AND HEY WHY NOT MAKE IT A DATE NIGHT DINNER, MATCH THIS UP WITH A CRISP COLD WHITE WINE AND VOILA A PERFECT COMBO IS MADE. ENJOY!
SERVES 4
INGREDIENTS FOR FISH
4 Cod or Haddock fish fillets 1” to 1 ½ inch thick
[skinless, boneless, 4 to 6 oz. each]
2 Tablespoons of finely grated lime zest
3 Tablespoons of chopped fresh dill
[chopped, discard stems only use the leaves]
1 ½ Cups of Japanese breadcrumbs
½ Cup of cornstarch
½ Cup of flour
2 eggs [whisked]
2 Tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning
3 Teaspoons of salt
[finely ground preferably and use to your liking if you’d like]
3 Teaspoons of black pepper [use to your liking]
2-3 Tablespoons or more if needed of olive oil
[or a neutral oil like grapeseed or canola oil]
2 Tablespoons of butter
[for brown butter sauce sautéing and last minute lux touch]
* Notes – The butter portion of this recipe is optional.
* Butter Note – 1 tablespoon of butter per 2 fillets in the pan for basting.
INGREDIENTS FOR MANGO SALSA/CEVICHE
2 Medium mangoes mildly unripened
[peel with a vegetable peeler, slice downwards on all sides then julienne a.k.a thinly slice into matchsticks]
*see video for cutting technique
½ Large red onion [thinly sliced]
1 Jalapeno [seeded & finely chopped]
2 Large Tomatillos [husked, rinsed and cut into thin slices]
*See Notes
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1-2 Large limes 2-4 tablespoons of fresh juice this depends on your taste for acidity
1 ½ Teaspoon of salt
[preferably finely ground as it dissolves much faster in salads & salsas]
½ Teaspoon of black pepper [use as much or as little as you’d like]
7 - 10Fresh basil leaves [julienne a.k.a thinly sliced]
* Notes – If the tomatillos cannot be found use one large heirloom tomato or 2 medium sized Roma tomatoes cut into thin or medium slices this is to your liking.
MANGO SALSA/CEVICHE PREPARATION
- In a large bowl place in your julienne mangoes, thinly sliced red onion, chopped jalapeno and sliced tomatillos. Mix with a spoon until all the raw veggies are mixed.
- Squeeze in your fresh lime juice and season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle the top of your salad with the thinly sliced basil before serving. Place in the fridge and set aside so we can get started on the fish!
CRISP FISH PREPARATION
- Cut the fish into 1 to 1 ½ inch thick square fillet pieces, once cut pat the fish dry on all sides with a paper towel we want to make sure the fish is dry and without moister. Season the fillets with 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper [this is optional] and place the fillets onto a large plate and set aside in the fridge. Now on to the coating!
- In a large plate or large shallow bowl add in your lemon or lime zest, chopped fresh dill leaves and Japanese breadcrumbs; mix everything together with a fork or your hands and set aside. In another large shallow bowl pour in your cornstarch and flour; mix with a fork and season the flours with one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of black pepper and one tablespoon of old bay seasoning; mix again with a fork and set aside for later use. In a large shallow bowl or deep shallow plate; add in your eggs, ½ teaspoon of salt ½ teaspoon of black pepper and one teaspoon of old bay seasoning, whisk away with your fork and set aside it would be best to align the plates by starting with the flour plate then egg mix deep plate and finally the breadcrumb mix plate. [See video for details.]
- Start by coating the fish on all sides with your seasoned cornstarch and flour, once the fish is coated gently shake to remove any excess flour and cornstarch and then dip into the egg mixture making sure the fish is coated on all sides, remove excess egg and lastly place it into your breadcrumbs, press this mix all over so that the crumbs stick. Repeat these steps with the rest of the fillets and set aside so we can get cooking!
- In a normal or non-stick heavy based large skillet pan turn the heat up to a medium high-heat and let the pan become hot not smokey this should take one to two minutes. Once the pan gets hot add in your oil and swirl it to coat the pan. I will be working with 2 batches of fillets at the same time in my large skillet, if you don’t have a large skillet then only cook one fish at a time, you do not want to overcrowd the pan.
- Add the fish onto the hot pan and let it sear until golden for about 3-4 minutes, let it cook without moving it or flipping it. Once that side is crisped flip it over to the other side and let it sear for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, meanwhile the fish is cooking add in your knob of butter and start by basting your fish with a spoon on all sides [See video for technique]. Once cooked transfer the fish onto a paper towel lined plate and season the tops with a bit of salt; I really like adding either a little sprinkle of Maldon salt or Fleur de sel. If you don’t have that type of salt then no worries just sprinkle a little bit of your favorite go to salt.
*Butter Note – 1 tablespoon of butter per 2 fillets in the pan for basting.
*Note – Please serve the fish immediately so it stays crisp. The longer the wait the less crispier it will get.
* TIPS FOR CRISPIER FISH
1. Pat the fish dry on all sides with a paper towel before seasoning it.
2. Heat the pan before adding the oil.
3. Do not let the oil get to a high smoke point.
4. Shake off excess the cornstarch.
5. Flip the fish once, do not press it down or flip it around over & over.
PLATING
You can do this family style with filling one gorgeous bowl or large plate with your julienned mango salsa/ceviche and topping it off with your sliced basil, mint and freshly ground black pepper.
Lastly for your crispy fish, I like using a large round family style plate or a large long plate to place your crispy fish in, I like lining them up and placing lime or lemon wedges on the sides. Happy Feasting Friends!
Check out the video on “how to make this dish + plating techniques”
