Crispy cod & kiev butter
For an extra-crispy coating, double-dip the fish in the egg and breadcrumbs. You can also make a double batch of the kiev butter and keep what remains in the freezer for melting over steaks or making quick garlic bread. All the prep can be done ahead, making this an ideal meal for relaxed Sundays.
SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 20 mins MORE EFFORT
100g plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
150g panko breadcrumbs 4 skinless cod fillets (about 120g each), or use hake, pollock or other white fish
3 tbsp sunflower oil
For the kiev butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated small handful of parsley,
finely chopped
100g butter, softened
½ lemon, juiced 1 To make the kiev butter, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Chill until needed. Will keep in the fridge for up to a day, or frozen for up to a month. 2 Tip the flour into a shallow bowl and season with salt, crack the eggs into a second bowl and tip the breadcrumbs into a third. Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper, then, working with one fillet at a time, dip the fish in the flour, shaking off the excess, then the egg followed by the breadcrumbs, turning to ensure it’s well-coated. If you like a thicker coating, dip the fillets in the egg and breadcrumbs again. At this stage, the fish can be covered and chilled for 2-3 hrs.
3 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Heat most of the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and fry the fish for about
5 mins until the coating is golden. Add the remaining oil to the pan if it’s dry, then flip the fish fillets, transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 10 mins until the fish is cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and top each fillet with about 1 tsp of the kiev butter. Return to the oven for 5 mins more to melt the butter over the fish. Meanwhile, gently melt the rest of the kiev butter in a small pan over a low heat. Serve the fish with the buttery roasting juices spooned over alongside a small bowl of the melted kiev butter for dipping chips into.
PER SERVING 607 kcals • fat 33g • saturates 15g • carbs 46g • sugars 1g • fibre 2g • protein 32g • salt 1.3g