Pacific rockfish in packets

It’s blurry picture Tuesday. I just declared it so.

Had a hankering for fish last night. Bought a piece of Pacific rockfish (never heard of it before) at a good price. Decided to follow Jenn’s lead and make packets to put into the oven. Didn’t have any very interesting ingredients to flavor it with, so I just stayed with a splash of Shaoxing wine, lemon slices and olive oil.

Also made fried green tomatoes. Found the tom’s at our favorite farm stand (named Heinie’s, a name I would have changed long ago!). These were the best I've ever had, prepared just like milanesa - dredged in flour (with s and p), egg and homemade bread crumbs. The other delight was yellow wax beans, steamed 8 minutes and then poached in butter for 4.

Here’s the recipe (it’s almost cocktail hour).

Pacific rockfish in packets
10 oz. rockfish filet (or other fish)
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry white)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch each of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Divide the fish into 2 equal-size pieces. Marinate in the wine, lemon oil, s and p for 30 minutes. Make foil packets for each. Place the packets on a baking pan and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Tilapia filets

This is not the most creative thing I’ve done of late. However, it was startlingly good. I mentioned using bisquick in place of flour the other day, I think. It brings something lovely to the party – extra crispness and good texture to the coating. These tilapia filets are just like the best fish sticks you ever had.

Tilapia is inexpensive and universally available (particularly in Mexican restaurants where they deep-fry it whole without mercy). I’ll offer two ways to prepare it. One is pan-fried, the other is oven-fried.

Tilapia filets
2 5-6 oz. tilapia filets (substitutes: cod, catfish)
bisquick
1 egg
panko breadcrumbs (or regular, un-flavored crumbs)
salt, pepper and paprika
vegetable oil

Rinse the filets under cold water and dry them well with paper towels.

Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper and paprika. Use your hands to press the spices into the fish so that they stick.

Put some bisquick in a fine-mesh strainer and shake it over the fish, coating it with a fine layer on both sides.

Lightly beat the egg with 1 tbsp water or milk.

Dip the filets, one by one, into the egg, coating them completely. Let the excess drip off and coat the filets with breadcrumbs, pressing them onto the surface.

Place the filets on a wire rack over a plate and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Remove them from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. This is crucial to getting the coating firmly setup enough that it will not separate from the fish while frying. If you are using method 2 below, this step is not necessary.

Method 1: Coat a sauté pan, large enough to accommodate both filets in one layer, with 1/8” vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium high heat until a spatter of water pops instantly when flicked in. Carefully lay the fish into the pan. Fry undisturbed for 4 minutes. Use 2 large spatulas, one on top and one underneath, and great care to turn the filets over. Fry on the second side for 3 minutes. Remove the filets to the wire rack which you’ve cover with a layer of paper towels. Sprinkle a bit of fine salt on them and let them rest for just a minute. Serve on hot plates and dig in immediately while the fish is still hot and very crispy.

Method 2: Spray the wire rack with cooking spray and place it over a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the filets for 20 minutes or until the coating is firm and lightly browned. No resting time required, but do sprinkle a bit more fine salt on them.

For a free excerpt of my book, “A Year of Food,” in which I opine, report, cook, muse and philosophize about everything that passed my lips for an entire year, write to me at: scrout1944@msn.com.