No Fish Fry Tonight

Fried fish is wonderful, but it’s not worth all that oil.  Pity, as there’s no other way to get that crispy, golden crust.  If only there were a loophole, some way to indulge, to delight in the crunch, while reaping the benefits of clean, healthy baked fish.

Leave it to Gourmet to find a way to produce this miracle.   (Fish fries.  Miracles.  Get it?  Ecclesiastical humor is lost on the public.)  In its 2009 recipe collection, the magazine describes just how to square the circle.  The secret, you see, is to coat the fish in a combination of bread crumbs and cornmeal, then to bake it.

There is still some oil involved, though compared to the vats in which fried fish traditionally swims, it’s minimal.  What emerges from the oven is just as satisfyingly crunchy as anything pulled from a fryer.  It makes for an excellent meal, as pictured above, or, better still, in a sandwich: Nearly as outstanding is the remoulade prepared to accompany the fish.   It shares with the more-common tartar sauce; mayonnaise and finely-diced dills, but remoulade boosts the umami with a little sour cream.  As you may have guessed from the light pink tone, tomato paste plays a part too, which, when paired with fresh lemon juice, introduces a playful tang.

When served with fish breaded and baked, the remoulade adds big flavor while keeping things light.  Something this crispy shouldn’t be light, let alone healthy, should it?  Enjoying a fish fry without the guilt seems an act of divine intervention.  A culinary miracle, at least.

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Oven-Fried Catfish with Remoulade Sauce

For the fish:

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 3/4 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 (6-ounce) catfish filets
• 2 large eggs, beaten

For the remoulade:

• 1/3 cup finely-chopped dill pickles
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons finely-chopped parsley (*1)
• 2 tablespoons finely-chopped shallot
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon tabasco sauce (*2)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with rack set at middle distance.

Brush a baking pan with two tablespoons of the oil.

Put the bread crumbs, cornmeal and salt in a large zip-top bag.  Seal and shake to mix.

Season the fish. both sides, with salt and pepper.  Working with one filet at a time, dip the fish in the eggs, allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl.  Then, put the fish in the bag, seal the top and shake to completely coat the fish.  Place filet on the baking pan, and repeat process for the remaining fish.

Bake until underside is golden, about six minutes.  Brush the remaining two tablespoons of oil on each filet, then carefully flip it.  Cook for six more minutes.

Whisk together all the remoulade ingredients, then salt to taste.  Serve with the fish.

NOTES:

1 – If you don’t care for parsley’s bitterness, try cilantro instead.

2 – I prefer sriracha, as it’s a bit less harsh than is tabasco.