MCDONALD’S: FILET-O-FISH
SAVE: 117 CALORIES, 10 G FAT, 2 G SAT. FAT
When I was 6, my Girl Scout troop took a field trip to the Baltimore Aquarium, the highlight of which was a lovely lunch at McDonald’s on the way home. Just as my friend Erin was about to take a bite out of her Filet-O-Fish sandwich, another girl at the table said, “Hey, wait. That might be one of the fish we saw today.” We all started laughing hard—that is, until she accidentally spit her orange soda all over Erin and me.
Even though we were only 6, Erin and I were sure we weren’t eating one of the fish we just saw—we knew enough about cooking to know that it would take more time to cook a fish than had passed. But looking back, I wish I had been precocious enough at the time to say, “There’s no way. They don’t have hoki in Baltimore.” Hoki (or pollock), of course, is the fish that McDonald’s uses to make the original Filet-O-Fish.
Olive oil spray
1 center-cut cod or other mild white-flesh fish fillet (about 3½ ounces)
1 egg white
1 teaspoon fat-free milk
1 teaspoon unbleached or all-purpose flour
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
½ teaspoon yellow cornmeal
1 hamburger bun
½ slice (¼ ounce) 2% milk yellow American cheese
1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon McDonald’s Tartar Sauce
PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.
Place the fish on a cutting board. Cover with a sheet of waxed paper. With the smooth side of a meat mallet, gently pound to an even ¼" thickness. With a sharp knife, cut into a 3½" x 3" piece (about 2 ounces). (Refrigerate or freeze the scraps for another recipe.)
In a small shallow bowl, combine the egg white and the milk. Beat with a fork until smooth. Place 2 small sheets of waxed paper next to the bowl. On one sheet, combine the flour, paprika, and salt. Mix to blend. On the other sheet, combine the bread crumbs and cornmeal. Mix to blend.
Dip the fish into the flour mixture, making sure to coat it evenly. Shake off any excess flour. Dip into the egg-white mixture, being sure to coat completely. Allow any excess egg-white mixture to drip off. Dip into the bread-crumb mixture to coat completely. Place on the reserved baking sheet. Lightly mist with oil spray.
Bake for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the fish. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the breading is crisp and the fish flakes easily.
Meanwhile, preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the bun top and bottom, cut-sides down, in the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until toasted.
Place the bottom bun on a plate. Place the cheese on the center (it will not cover the whole bun bottom). Top with the fish, tartar sauce, and bun top.
MAKES 1 SERVING
283 calories, 19 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 2 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber
Original McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish: 400 calories, 14 g protein, 42 g carbohydrates, 18 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 1 g fiber
DRIVE-THRU Don’t have time to bread the fish? Buy a baked breaded fish fillet from the freezer section of most major supermarkets. Just be sure they are baked, not fried.
EVEN BETTER For a meal that won’t look exactly like the original but will be higher in protein, don’t trim the 3½-ounce fish fillet before cooking (increase the cooking time slightly). You’ll add 8 grams of protein without adding fat or carbohydrates.
¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons dill pickle relish
¼ teaspoon sugar
Pinch of mustard powder
1 teaspoon chopped capers
IN a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, relish, sugar, and mustard. Stir to blend well. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Stir in the capers just before serving.
MAKES ABOUT ¼ CUP, ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Each serving: 32 calories, <1 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, <1 g sat. fat, <1 g fiber