Recipe: Fish schnitzels

Who doesn’t love a good schnitty?

Or, at the very least, something crumbed and fried to golden perfection. Crumbing any fish fillet removes a layer of anxiety from the challenges of cooking fish at home. There is something about the ability of a crumbed coating to insulate and protect the flesh from the harshness and oftentimes unforgiving nature of direct contact with a pan or grill. Mix up the species of fish you crumb and the seasonings you add to the crumbs and flour.

Makes two schnitzels

Ingredients

• 500g boneless fish fillet, skin on
• 2 large eggs
• 50g good-quality Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 50g dried oregano
• 1tsp dried chilli flakes
• 180g white panko breadcrumbs
• 250g plain flour
• 1tbs smoked paprika
• 1tbs finely chopped parsley (optional)
• 75g ghee
• Sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper

Take a sharp knife and, working on a steep angle, cut two thickish medallions from the fillet of fish. (By cutting the fish on an angle you create a greater surface area, so the schnitzel will cook far more evenly.) The portions should be approximately 2cm thick.

Place the eggs in a shallow bowl and whisk to combine.

Add the Parmesan, oregano and chilli to the breadcrumbs and then add the paprika to the flour. Tip the flour and breadcrumbs onto separate flat baking trays ready to crumb the fish.

Dip a fish medallion first into the flour to coat all sides, clapping away any excess, then dip it into the egg mixture, allowing the majority of the egg to drip away.

Lastly, coat with the breadcrumbs, pushing down firmly so the breadcrumbs stick evenly from edge to edge. Scatter over the parsley, if using.

Melt the ghee in a large cast-iron frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fillets skin side down to and cook for two minutes on each side, keeping the pan moving to swirl the fish around in the hot fat and turning it over halfway through cooking until golden and evenly coloured on both sides. Season liberally with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to rest before serving.

Fish Butchery: Mastering the Catch, Cut and Craft by Josh Niland (Hardie Grant Books, £32)