Who doesn’t love fried fish? Only that the high fat content can make it prohibitive for a healthy diet, but here’s good news—you can still achieve that great crisp crust without frying. This dish employs a smart technique to bake the crispiness into the fish. Seasoned generously with garlic powder, this browned breaded fish gets crowned with a sweet and spicy salsa topping.
FOR THE PINEAPPLE SALSA
1 cup diced pineapple
¼ cup diced red onion
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
Juice of ½ lime
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
FOR THE FISH
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound white fish fillets, such as tilapia or whiting
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons Homemade Rice Milk or unsweetened store-bought rice milk
FOR THE SALSA
In a small bowl, combine the pineapple, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and cilantro. Toss and set aside while you make the fish.
FOR THE FISH
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a small baking dish.
2 Season the fish fillets with garlic powder and paprika.
3 In a small bowl, mix the cornmeal and flour.
4 In another small bowl, mix the egg and rice milk.
5 Dip each piece of fish in the egg mixture, and next roll in the flour mixture. Place the fish in a single layer in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the fish is golden and flakes easily with a fork.
Cooking tip: For the crispiest crust, be sure to wait until a nice golden crust has formed on the underside of the fish in the baking dish before flipping.
Per Serving Calories: 242; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 116mg; Carbohydrates: 20g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 27g; Phosphorus: 238mg; Potassium: 474mg; Sodium: 83mg