How to prepare healthy fried fish recipes
We've all heard by now that eating fish at least twice a week contributes significantly to good health. Fish is lean, high in protein and full of the valuable Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, particularly in the case of cold water fish. You may enjoy preparing the fish in a variety of ways. Poached or baked fish can get boring. Alternatively, you can prepare healthy fried fish recipes, despite the oil used. It all depends on the type of oil you use and properly breading the fish.
Olive oil is what you want to use for any fried fish recipe. Olive oil contains no cholesterol and it takes just a couple of tablespoons of oil to cook a half pound piece of fish.
Most white meat fish, such as trout, sole and catfish are well suited to fried fish recipes. Naturally, you want as little of the oil as possible, to be absorbed during cooking, both for health and taste. Here's how to prepare a batter and breading to that purpose.
Just fifteen minutes before cooking, lay the fish in a dish with a little milk, turning once. Beat a couple of eggs in a separate dish. Make a half and half mixture of flour and cornmeal in a pie pan, sufficient to coat the fish. One cup of the breading mixture will do for a single piece. The addition of cornmeal decreases the amount of oil absorbed, while the milk and egg forms an additional shield, preventing the oil from permeating the meat.
The crust for any fried fish recipe is always improved by adding seasoning to the breading. Lemon pepper and just a dash of cayenne is great at sparking up the flavor. Dill and tarragon also go well with these types of mild fish. There are also commercially prepared mixtures, such as Blackened Cajun-style spices for variety.
Preheat a large, preferably non-stick skillet, with two tablespoons of olive oil, at a medium heat, or to 375 degrees in an electric pan. Fish cooks quickly, so you don't want to cook at too high of a heat, causing the crust to burn before the fish is cooked through.
Use tongs to remove the fish from the milk bath' and allow excess milk to drain. Dip the fish in the egg mixture, coating both sides. Immediately dredge the fish in the breading mixture, making sure it's well coated.
When the pan is hot, slide the fish gently into the pan, so as not to dislodge the breading. Depending on the thickness of the fish, turn it after 2-4 minutes. Flat fish, such as sole and trout will cook very quickly, so keep your eye on the pan!
If you're not certain the fish is cooked through, you can use a fork, inserted in the thickest part, to pull the meat apart gently. You should not see any transparent meat. If it's all white, it's done!
Use a slotted spatula to remove the fish, allowing any oil to drain off before placing it in the serving dish. You've got your healthy fried fish recipe ready to eat!
