Grown-up Fish Sticks

Grown-Up Fish Sticks

When I was a child, I loved fish sticks. When I was a teen, I actually ate fish sandwiches from fast food restaurants. That turned me off fish. However, I was craving fish sticks the other day. I didn’t want those frozen sticks of sadness you can find in the grocery stores. So, I made my own.

These were perfect. I usually give you a way to tweak my recipes, but don’t change anything. I made fish sandwiches with the leftovers. I made more after I ate all of these.

Servings: 4-6

Time:  Active: 35 minutes; Cooking: 10 minutes per batch; Fish in about 40 minutes

Hardware:  A cutting board and knife, measuring spoons and cups, 2-shallow bowls or plates (I use pie plates), a spatula, a deep skillet, an oil thermometer, 2 plates, paper towels

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1-pound of a firm white fish (I used cod)
• Oil to fill the skillet halfway

1. Wash the fish and pat it dry. Cut it into serving size pieces. Season both sides of the fish with one tablespoon of the Old Bay. Cover a plate in paper towels and set aside.
2. Beat the eggs. Place the beaten eggs in one shallow bowl. Mix the flour with the salt and place it in the second bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs and the other tablespoon of Old Bay together and place it into the third container.
3. Pour oil into the skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the thermometer reads 350°.
4. Dredge each piece of fish in the seasoned flour, then in the beaten eggs and then into the breadcrumbs. Make sure the fish is completely coated in crumbs. You can place the breaded fish on a plate so that you can concentrate on frying instead of going back to dredge more fish.
5. Fry the fish until it is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side. Make sure the fish is cooked through, this should take 2–3 minutes per side. Do not crowd the fish. You may need to work in batches. Remove the fish to a paper towel covered plate. You can keep the fish warm in the lowest setting in the oven.
6. Serve the fish sticks with the Tatar Sauce and rice or French fries.