Oven-Fried Fish & Chips -- The Ordinary Friday That Was Everything

The cafe-expansion soft-opening Monday November 11 was the success the family had worked toward all year. Forty-eight guests at the cafe from six to nine PM. Mama gave a small speech at seven that made Aunt Linda cry. The expanded cafe officially opened to the public Wednesday November 13. Brayden is one hundred and sixty-four weeks old. Eden is twenty-two weeks old. Friday night I made the oven-fried fish and chips for a small family dinner.

The oven-fried fish and chips are a small healthier-version of the classic British-American fish-and-chips — cod fillets coated in seasoned panko-and-cornmeal and baked at four-twenty-five for fifteen minutes, served with oven-roasted potato wedges and a small tartar-sauce-and-malt-vinegar accompaniment.

The technique question on oven-fried fish is the coating-adherence. The panko-coating needs to adhere to the fish without falling off during the bake. The fix is a small flour-egg-panko three-stage breading.

Friday night I made the dish. Dustin had three fillets. Brayden had a small piece.

The technique-detail I always lean on: the small intentional-pause between steps. Stir, pause, taste, then continue. The small pauses are the small mid-recipe quality-control. The small home-cook who pauses is the small home-cook whose dishes come out at the small reliable-level. The small pauses are how the small kitchen-rhythm holds across years.

Mama’s Wednesday-evening call was the small mid-week anchor. The cafe’s small operational-state continues to be small steady. Cody runs the small lunch-and-dinner rotation. Aaron, Beatriz, and Patricia (the small new staff hired for the expansion) have integrated well. The small cafe-second-decade has its small functional shape.

Oven-Fried Fish & Chips

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs cod or haddock fillets, cut into serving pieces
• 4 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Malt vinegar and lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Season the chips. Toss potato wedges with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and paprika. Spread in a single layer on one prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast the chips. Bake potato wedges for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until golden and beginning to crisp at the edges.
4. Set up the breading station. While chips roast, mix panko, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Place beaten eggs in a separate shallow dish.
5. Bread the fish. Pat fish pieces dry. Dip each piece in the egg wash, letting excess drip off, then press firmly into the panko mixture to coat all sides.
6. Pan-prep the fish. Place breaded fish on the second prepared baking sheet. Drizzle or brush with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
7. Finish together. Add the fish pan to the oven alongside the chips and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the coating is golden and crisp. The chips may need an additional 5 minutes — keep an eye on them.
8. Serve. Plate fish and chips together and serve immediately with malt vinegar, lemon wedges, and tartar sauce if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 480mg