Not Your Mother's Fish Sticks
The
inspiration for my recipes can come from anywhere - sometimes the
source is a bit wacky - even for me. Depending on your age, it might be
hard to imagine a time when you couldn’t just sit at a computer to surf
for inspiration for your next meal. Did you ever stop to wonder where
your mom or grandmother found inspiration for new recipes? It might
surprise you that newspapers and magazines were often the source for
what are now family favorites.I look forward to Wednesdays because the NY Times includes a section just for foodies like me. Like most people, I read my news on-line, but that weekly Dining and Wine section is the exception - I have to have the printed version. Not every week’s section lives up to my expectations (I’m a bit like a kid waiting for Christmas morning) but the week of October 22 was especially wonderful. I’ve read it several times and it still has not hit the recycling pile. If you’ve read my blog, you know I keep to a very strict gluten free diet. The recipes I find in the newspaper or in magazines are often too difficult to adapt but often provide inspiration. Sometimes, even if gluten free, I feel the recipe needs a makeover to be healthier.
The recipe that follows is my healthier version of the adaptation for Almond Crusted Sole that appeared in the October 22nd Dining and Wine section. The recipe was gluten free as written, but it was also high in fat and cholesterol. Let me walk you through the recipe.
The recipe in the paper says it yields 4-6 servings. It calls for 4 to 6 fillets of sole, weighing about 6 oz each. Six ounces is a big serving for most people, but I’ll let you decide how much protein you want to eat. I’ll save my nitpicking for the rest of the recipe. Look at the number of egg yokes and the amount of butter in the original recipe and you don’t need to be a math wiz to figure out that each serving includes at least 1 large egg yoke and somewhere between 1½ and 2 tablespoons of butter! Nuts, of course, are a source of protein but they also contain their own healthy fats. Based on the numbers, I tucked away the recipe for future consideration.
I didn’t give the recipe another thought till I went shopping and spied some lovely thick tilapia fillets. I knew it was time to give this recipe a healthy remake. Why Tilapia? 3.5 oz of Tilapia contains 2.4 g fat and a mere 98 calories but provides 21 g protein, which is why they make a good choice for many conscientious eaters. The flesh is very delicate which makes them perfect for moms trying to get their families to eat more fish. I also like US raised Tilapia because of it’s excellent eco-rating. It’s important to know the source of your seafood. According to an article in the Washington Post, “The overwhelming majority of the imports are frozen fillets from China”. Tilapia from Asia carries a health warning: see the Eco-worst List for details. The Post article sums up the price you’ll pay for clean US raised fish:
“At retail, imported fresh fillets sell for about $5 to $6 per pound, frozen fillets from China for about $2 per pound. Tilapia from U.S. farms, where operating costs are higher, is the most expensive, about $8 to $10 per pound.”
Clean fish is worth the extra price per pound. These fillets were rather large close to 8 ounces and a
good ½ inches thick. They would make respectable “sticks” for my fish
stick makeover. If my mom had served my version of this recipe, I
wouldn’t have minded eating fish every Friday!I call my version: “Not Your Mother’s Fish Sticks”
Ingredients:
2 thick Tilapia fillets about 16 ounces
1 X-large or 2 small egg whites (I use liquid egg whites, that way I don’t feel bad about throwing out the yokes - yeah, it’s left over mother-induced guilt)
1 C coarse almond flour - feel free to grind your own nuts
1 C natural (white) sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Old Bay or other favorite fish seasoning
(optional) Low fat dipping sauce
Cut the fish into fish sticks.
- I think this task is easier if you pop the fillets into the freezer for a few minutes to firm up the flesh.
- Cut the fillets into strips lengthwise and then cut these strips into manageable lengths.
- Decide what size is best for your audience - i.e. toddlers can handle smaller sticks better than big ones.
- I use a seasoned sea salt blend and I always use a 5 peppercorn blend when pepper is called for in a fish or chicken dish
Optional - add a small amount of Old Bay or other “sea food” seasoning to the almond and seed mixture.
- This will add a little color and help to flavor to the coating.
- if too thick, add a drop or two of water
Place the fish stick on top of coating and spoon the coating over to coat.
- If you handle the fish too much the coating will fall off.
Heat a non-stick fry pan or griddle over medium heat.
- Feel free to add a smidgen of olive oil, but they are really tasty without the extra fat.
- Be sure to turn them in order to brown all sides.
- Nuts and seeds burn easily, but if the heat is kept moderate and you’re paying attention you won’t have a problem.
- These taste best if not held too long in the oven.
By all means - please - play with your food, and for heaven's sake......
Think out of the box - don’t eat out of one!
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