Thursday, July 13, 2017

Crispy Fish Sticks with Pineapple Salsa

Crispy and crunchy homemade fish sticks with a fresh pineapple salsa. 
A kids' style dinner good enough for adults!



I love to cook, but there are a few things I always have in for super quick dinners for my daughter, like on nights when my husband is traveling and we have 45 minutes between school and dance class. Frozen chicken nuggets, frozen fish sticks, baby carrots (to make "soft carrots," as she calls them), frozen broccoli, and a container of cooked spaghetti can almost always be found in my house.



However, homemade versions are always better. It's not like making homemade chicken nuggets or fish sticks is hard or takes a long time - it's probably faster to bread your own and fry them up. Actually, in the time it takes to preheat your oven and cook the frozen version, you could already have homemade ones on the table.

But I get it - convenience foods are a must! Some nights you just don't want the extra dishes, or you need to be focused on helping with homework instead of prepping and cooking dinner. When you have the time, it's always fun to cook from scratch!


Over the holiday weekend I made some homemade crispy fish sticks that were so incredibly easy and super yummy.


All you need is a fish that will hold up well and that doesn't have much fat. Cod, haddock and pollock are the most popular, but I prefer to use something a little better, like halibut, mahi, or even swordfish or catfish.


Cut your fish into "sticks" and then bread them - flour, egg, seasoned breadcrumbs/Panko. I fry them in just a small amount of oil - no need to deep fry - and in just 5-6 minutes they are done. Perfectly crispy and crunchy, yet light and flaky on the inside.


I love a light and fresh topping for fish, so I chopped up some pineapple to add to pico de gallo I had made for the weekend, and it was the perfect accompaniment. Bright, citrus flavors with some heat - so refreshing!




Crispy Fish Sticks 
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

Ingredients

  • 6 oz fish cut into 6 sticks (double or triple to your liking!)
  • 1/2 c flour
  • 2 eggs beaten and mixed with 1 Tbsp whole milk
  • 1/2 c breadcrumbs and 1/2 c Panko breadcrumbs
  • Seasoning: approximately 1 tsp each salt, black pepper, onion powder and chili powder 
  • 3 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil (enough to generously coat the bottom of your pan)
Directions
  • Set up breading station: flour in 1st bowl, eggs in second, bread crumbs mixed with seasoning in third (tip - I love using a throw away paper plate for the flour and bread crumbs - makes cleanup so easy!)
  • Heat your oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat
  • Roll each piece of fish in flour. Shake off the excess and roll in the egg mixture followed by the breadcrumbs. Place on wire rack.
  • Add the breaded fish to the pan being careful to space them out (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Cook until one side is golden brown; repeat on all sides until crispy. Transfer to the wire rack on top of paper towels.
  • Serve immediately! 


Pineapple Salsa
Original Recipe by Mary Ellen of Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

You can make this in a small amount as noted below (serves 4), or you can make a large bowl of the pico (all of the ingredients below x 4, minus the pineapple) and remove some to mix with the pineapple for this recipe.


  • 4 Ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and diced 
  • 1/2 of a jalapeno, minced
  • 1/4 of a red onion, minced
  • Small handful of cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tsp Kosher or sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp pineapple, diced


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