Panko Crusted Fish
I strive to put delicious food on the table with minimal amount of work. This dish is so easy if you have all the ingredients. I see no reason someone just learning could not make this dish. It fits the easy criteria.
To insure I have all the ingredients I have started taking ingredient cards with me to the market. It helps me to be able to compose a dish without having to run back to the store for a missing item. It helps me stay organized – my perpetual challenge. If you want you could use your phone, I am sure there is an app for that, but I like the cards – I know, weird.
Next warning – this dish will only be as good as your fish – so make friends with the fish guy. If it smells it won’t taste better when you get it home and cook it.
The hardest part about this recipe besides getting all the ingredients together is cleaning the leeks. They are always naturally full of dirt; so clean them well. Trim off the tough green part, then cut them down the center and rinse them. Cut them into a thin chiffonade of half rings – then back in cold water, let the dirt fall to the bottom. There is nothing worse than a bite of grit. I will once again quote Jacques Pépin. He said, “Nothing takes the place of a leek.” Listen to him. You can use other onion family members, but nothing taste like a leek and I can’t see using anything else with this dish.
The next thing I will warn you about is – season as you go – season well. Measure out your salt and place in a small pinch bowl. I mixed the panko and parmesan with the rest of the seasoning; then tasted for salt. This recipe calls for crushed potato chips. I did not use them since chips are fried in soy oil, but if you want go ahead, but it is just one more preserved ingredient. The crumb mixture is not at its best since it is not cooked, but you need to know if you have enough seasoning. It is hard to get the seasoning right when you did not season well from the beginning. Season your vegetables, and then season your fish. The small bowl of salt will help you keep track of how much you are using and keep you from over-seasoning.
If you have a grill with a cover you can use it, but I used my iron skillet and used my oven. I was happy with the results.
And then finally I think dessert finishes the meal so may I suggest a little something sweet. For the coffee lover, or the chocolate lover, or the lemon lover. All of these are extremely easy to make. Be sure to serve it on the prettiest plate you have.
- 1 cup tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup leeks, thinly sliced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced (I used less)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2 – 8 oz. Tripletail filets or any other flat fish such as Snapper, Flounder or Tilapia.
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan, grated
- ½ cup plain potato chips, crushed - (add ¼ cup extra panko and 1 Tablespoon of butter to replace potato chips.)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon green onions, thinly sliced
- Lemon wedges
- Preheat oven to 400°F. – or fire up the grill.
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, potato chips, cayenne, and paprika. Stir in melted butter. Set aside.
- Add olive oil to iron skillet.
- Combined the tomato, leek, green bell pepper and garlic in a small bowl; season.
- Spread evenly around bottom of a cast iron skillet.
- Season filets; place on top of vegetables.
- Top filets with crumb mixture.
- Place skillet or pan, uncovered on hot grill grate and close grill, or in the oven.
- Allow filets to cook approximately 20 minutes or until they flake easily or register 140 degrees in the center.
- Transfer cooked fish on to a warm platter, surround with cooked vegetables.
- Garnish with tops of scallions; serve with lemon wedges.
I was going to try panko crumbs on tilapia–so glad you have a recipe! I enjoyed reading your post, because I am skittish about seafood. Shouldn’t be, but I am. I’ve learned to never buy fish on Sunday evening because everything smells like Clorox and I can’t trust my nose to test the fish.
I hope you will try it. I was pretty happy with the results.
This fish looks amazing. I have pinned and hope to make it soon.
I was really happy with this dish, I hope you will be too.
Panko is amazing! I don’t know if I’ve had it on fish, but I had some super delicious panko chicken the other month. I need to try this recipe!
After you clean your leeks it only takes twenty minutes in the oven and you have a gourmet meal. I hope you will try it.
Panko on fish must be so light… great idea. Love the rest of the seasoning too. Thanks so much for sharing such a healthy recipe with us on foodie friday.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you will try it.
Just beautiful! Your recipe is awesome and thank you so much for sharing it at the table with Full Plate Thursday.
Hope to see you again soon!
Miz Helen
I think you could use any whitefish. I really hope you will try it.
Like the addition of leeks.
Great to have you at Seasonal Sundays.
– The Tablescaper
Such great tips and your fish sounds fabulous. I like the idea of panko much better than potato chips!
This is really a quick dish and no on the chips. Thanks for stopping by Chris. You have been so kind.
I have fallen head over heels in love with Panko and have been using it frequently. Plus we eat a lot of fish at our house. Love the leeks in this too – very French and underused in the states. This is a must-try!
Sam
I am blushing. Thank you so much. Jacques Pépin said nothing takes the place of a leek.
Forgot to add I’ll be following along on Facebook. It is so nice to meet you.
Sam
Yeah!