Haddock in Panko. Unfashionable when it comes to the crunch.

When I go out to buy the ingredients for our meals, I tend to not have a hard and fast list for the meats and fish. I like to see what looks good and choose the best available ingredients (subject to affordability and availability). When it comes to the fish, haddock tends to get overlooked. It is not a particularly fashionable fish. Fashion plays a role in all these things. 

For example, beef short ribs have been the belle of the ball for a time now, while lamb’s liver is almost universally ignored. On the wine end of things, matters are a lot worse. It is practically impossible to buy an oaked Chardonnay in Ireland. A few years ago, it was hard to buy anything else. This recipe for Haddock in Panko Breadcrumbs is extremely easy and delicious. It’s also a good thing that it goes reasonably well with a Sauvignon Blanc. Because, our national white wine choice seems to be reduced to the above or Pinot Grigio. Damn this food fashion.

To confound the fashionistas some more, I served this on a bed of pearl couscous. This is a delicious, if not often served ingredient.

The fish is so unfashionable, I almost left it completely out of the photo.

Ingredients

• Two serving sized pieces of haddock (the unfashionable white fish)
• A teaspoon of turmeric
• Flour for dusting the fish
• A bowl of panko breadcrumbs
• An egg
• A red onion
• A handful of coriander
• Four or five spring onions
• A chilli
• A packet of pearl couscous
• Salt and pepper to season

Add water to the dried couscous. Then chop up the various ingredients.

Contrary to fashion, use a decent amount of the green stalks.

Slice the onions into rings and then slice them small. This is purely to facilitate a nice onion slicing photo.

Red onions are so tasty. Remember, we eat with our eyes too.

Leave the chilli slicing until last. That way, you avoid most of the danger of wiping your eyes (or worse).

Safety last. Leave the chilis until the end.

Add the chopped stuff to the couscous and season to taste. Next, skin the fish. You could leave the skin on. But it’s best to get it off.

I have a sharp, flexible fish filleting knife. It makes this easy.

Beat the egg on a plate.

This photo is included only for the lovely yellow egg colour. Yellow is fashionable, I hear.

Put some flour on another plate, season and sprinkle all over with turmeric. Place the panko on another plate. Heat a frying pan and add some oil. Be generous with the oil. Roll the fish fillets in the turmeric flour. Dip in the egg. Roll in the panko. Dip again in the egg and roll again in the panko. Place in the frying pan. Turn the fish when the crumbs are nice and brown underneath.

The poor unfashionable haddock. Getting as crispy as you like.

Drain the cooked fish on a newspaper (another thing going out of fashion).

I love this photo. You can just make out the turmeric glowing through the breadcrumbs.

Serve the fish on a bed of the couscous. The soft couscous gives a fantastic contrast to the crispy, crunchy, coating on the delicious white fleshed fish.

The fish gets steamed inside the breadcrumb coating. Glorious fish.

To hell with fashion. When it comes to the enjoyment of fine food, you just have to give this one a go.