Crispy Oven Fried Fish

(this pic is pre-new camera. obviously.)

Crispy fish without the mess and calories of frying! The key is this great batter and baking it on a rack. We both found this recipe very flavorful, crispy, and delicious.

If you make your breadcrumbs the night before, you could easily whip this together after a day at the office and have dinner on the table in no time. I can't imagine how anyone would turn their nose up to this great dish.

*My fish was thinner so I just watched it carefully to avoid overcooking

Crispy Oven Fried Fish
4 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (6-ounce) firm white fish fillets (like cod or haddock) 1-1 1/2 inches thick
lemon wedges, for serving

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form (about 10 pulses). Transfer the crumbs to a baking sheet and stir in the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper, each. Spread the crumbs over the baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and dry (about 10-12 minutes)

Remove the crumbs from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees and spray a wire rack with vegetable oil spray well. Place the rack over a baking sheet.

Transfer the cooled crumbs into a shallow bowl and mix in the parsley and shallot. Spread 3 tablespoons of flour into another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together. Then whisk in the remaining flour until a smooth, thick batter is formed.

Pat each piece of fish completely dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Working on one fish at a time, dredge into the flour, then dip it into egg batter and finally coat it with the bread crumbs, pressing on each piece to adhere. Lay the breaded fish on the prepared wire rack.

Bake the fish until the coating is golden and the fish flakes easily when gently poked with a fork, about 18-25 minutes. Keep an eye on it if it's thinner.

Gently transfer the fish to individuals plates and serve with lemon wedges.

Source: Gourmet: Day to Day