Easy Fried Fish



Fish with our favorite topping



We love fried fish at our house!  I've never had much luck with battered, deep-fried fish, but this simple, pan-fried fish always turns out great.  My 4 year old loves to dip this in homemade tartar sauce, while my husband and I love it with a special topping of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppers.  My two year old goes nuts whenever I make this and eats until we run out of fish.  I like to use a cast-iron skillet for this.  I have two (thanks, Mom!), so I fry all of the fish at the same time. 

Fried Fish

4 fillets whitefish (I use talapia)

salt and pepper

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 eggs, beaten

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

1) Use 2 large skillets over medium-high heat.  Place 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in each skillet.

2) While butter and oil are heating, place 1/4 cup flour in one bowl, beaten egg in a second bowl, and mix together remaining flour, bread crumbs, cornmeal, and Italian seasoning in a third bowl.

3) Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides.  Dip in flour, then egg, then into flour, bread crumb, and cornmeal mixture.  Place into skillet.  You will have 2 fillets of fish in each skillet.

4) Cook for 2 minutes on each side.  For thicker pieces of fish, such as cod, you may need up to 5 minutes per side.  You may want to lower the heat to medium if you are using a thicker fish.

5) Drain on paper towels and serve with  a lemon wedge and optional topping.

Fish Topping

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1) Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. 

2) Add garlic, onion, and peppers, and saute until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in tomatoes.