Oven-Baked Fish & Chips

Here's something I've been making, like, forever and have introduced to the Wonder Woman and Da Original Gangstur.  They love it!

Being baked with a minimum of oil, it's a relatively healthy dish, at least from the point of view of being low-fat.  It's still relatively high in carbs, though, so take your pick as to which discipline you want to follow.

This recipe feeds 3 or 4 people, depending on how hungry you are.

Ingredients:
French fries

Fries, seasoned and ready to bake

• 2 large potatoes, about 1 kg.  Use Russetts, or other "baking" style potatoes.  These make the best fries.
• 15ml oil (1 tbsp)
• Salt and pepper and / or other seasoning as you prefer.  We all like a "garlic with herbs" shaker that Wonder Woman picked up somewhere but can't remember where.

Fish

• 400g fish.  Traditionally, cod is preferred, although salmon is an excellent choice.  But any firm-fleshed fresh fish will be fine.
• 60g flour
• 5 ml dry mustard
• 1 egg
• 150 ml corn flake crumbs.  either crush them yourself, or purchase a box of crumbs.  Alternatively, bread crumbs are acceptable but not as good.
• 1 tbsp oil

The salmon pieces with the egg wash, crumbs (top right) and flour

To prepare:

1. Preheat the oven to 225 C (475 F).  This dish does best in a hot oven.
2. Scrub the potatoes or peel them.  We like to eat the peel, plus it's healthier for you.
3. Slice the potatoes into fries.  Don't make them too small.  Put them into a large bowl, add the oil and toss gently to coat.
4. Arrange the fries in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Put in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.  Turn them over every 10 minutes.
5. Get out three bowls.  Into the first bowl, mix the flour and dry mustard.  The second bowl, lightly mix the egg and some water into an egg wash.  The third bowl contains the crumbs.
6. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with the oil.
7. Rinse the fish well and pat it dry with paper towels.  Cut the fish into serving-size pieces.
8. Here's the fun part.  With a fork, coat each piece with the flour mixture.  Shake off any excess.  Put the pieces into the egg wash.  Shake off the excess again, and dredge in the crumbs.  Then arrange the pieces in the baking dish.
9. When the fish has been in for 40 minutes, then add the fish to the oven.  Let it bake for 10 minutes, and flip the pieces after 5 minutes.  The fish should be flaky.
10. Serve while still piping hot.

The fish, coated and ready to bake

Coleslaw is a traditional side-dish for fish and chips.  Malt vinegar is a good topping for french fries, but ketchup is good for the younger ones.  Squeeze a wedge of lemon on the fish.  Tartar sauce is OK, too, but we prefer the lemon.

Note: I've made this many times.  Something with the potatoes eventually coats the cookie sheet, even if it is non-stick, so much so that the fries eventually stick to the pan.  I found my best strategy is to use a cheap pan and replace if occasionally.  Save your good cookie sheet for making cookies and other good stuff!

Does Bow-tie Calico approve?  She loves the fish, ignores the chips and really hates the wedge of lemon.