Panfried Fish with Almonds

Don’t burn the almonds and you won’t overcook the fish. That’s the idea behind my mother’s take on the classic trout amandine. Mom most often made this with the fresh perch that we caught, but all manner of whitefish lends itself to this treatment, including halibut, tilapia, rockfish, cod, and haddock. Just look for fillets 1⁄3 inch (8 mm) thick or less; any thicker and the almonds will burn before the fish cooks.

Mom says, “The most important thing is that your eggs are very well beaten. Put the lemon juice and mashed garlic right in the eggs. Always salt and pepper the fish itself before starting.” Also critical is my grandmother’s advice: “Don’t cook a fish until you can see the whites of your diners’ eyes.”

Avoid olive oil for frying; its smoking point is too low and it will yield a bitter flavor. Go with peanut, grapeseed, canola, or coconut oil if you’ve got it.

For quick cleanup, put the flour and almonds on sheets of parchment or wax paper instead of in bowls, then toss when you’re done. Wrap up leftovers tightly and the crispy cold fish will make good next-day leftovers.

Makes 3 to 4 servings, but is easily expanded to feed more

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon juice

¹/₂ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon (5 ml) coarse salt, plus more for seasoning the fish

¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the fish

¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) paprika

Up to 1 cup (90 g) sliced almonds

3 tablespoons (45 ml) peanut, grapeseed, or coconut oil

1 pound (450 g) skinless fresh fish fillets

Lemon wedges, for serving

Mash the garlic with the edge of a fork. Add it to the eggs and lemon juice and beat together well in a shallow bowl so the garlic flavors the egg mixture. Mix the flour with the salt, pepper, and paprika on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Put the almonds on a second sheet of paper.

Add the oil to a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season each piece of fish with salt and pepper. Coat with the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally roll in the almonds, pressing them into the fish. Carefully place the fish in the hot oil in batches to fit the size of your skillet. Vigilantly monitor the fish as it cooks, adjusting the heat so that it cooks quickly but the almonds don’t burn. After 2 to 3 minutes, the almonds on the bottom should be brown. Carefully turn over the fillets. Cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. Add additional oil to the pan if needed before each batch. Serve the fish hot, with lemon wedges for squeezing on the fish.