Panko-crusted Alaskan Cod Fillets w/ Tangy Remoulade

Fish. Cod to be exact.

It's the same fish used mostly for Fish & Chips. Well, Haddock, Pollock and Hake also. They're all somewhat equal when it comes to texture. I chose fresh Cod this time since it was on sale at my local fish market. But before I go into the recipe I'd like to get a word in about rising mercury levels in fish and its health risks. Fish is usually a very healthy choice for anyone's diet because fish contain necessary proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, are low in saturated fats and carry other valuable nutrients.

However, mercury levels are on the rise. Therefore, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggest limiting the individual's fish consumption to 3-6 servings a month, with three servings for high-mercury and up to six servings for medium-mercury fish and shellfish per month. Cod falls into the moderate category, for that matter, with Haddock, Hake and Pollock being even better choices since all three fall into the low-mercury category. Anyway, with this out of the way, let's move on to the fishy ingredients for our delicious Cod Fillet...

1 Cod Fillet (about 1.2 lbs)
1 cup of flour
2 cups of Panko breading
2 Eggs (beaten)
2 Tbsp of Cajun seasoning
2 Tbsp of unsalted Butter
Sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Cod Fillet

Since the fish is processed right on the boat immediately after being caught - skinned, gutted, cleaned and frozen - chances are high that you'll come across some leftover bones. If that's the case, just use a pair of tweezers to remove them. Now cut the fillet in 3-4 equal parts, depending on its size, rinse them under cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Moderately season the fillets with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Next, we'll have to bread the fillets. For that we use our two cups of flour, add the 2 Tbsp of Cajun seasoning to it and whisk it together. Pour the beaten eggs onto a separate plate and add the 2 cups of Panko crumbs to a shallow baking dish or casserole. Now we drench the fillets in the flour/Cajun combo and coat them evenly. Move them, one at a time, over to the eggs, dip them in to coat evenly, then dip them into the Panko. Again, make sure the fillets now sport a nice crust and are evenly covered with the crumbs.

Flour, Eggs & Panko - in that order

Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until it starts to foam.

Place the fillets in the pan and fry them for 3-4 minutes each side or until both sides are golden brown. Use a large spatula when flipping the fillets over to prevent them from breaking apart. Once done, plate them and serve the Cod with Remoulade (recipe here) and homemade potato salad. Garnish with two lemon slices, some dill and chives. Pair the fish with a nice dry white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc...

Enjoy!