Crispy Panko Crusted Cod with Dill Sauce

Crispy Panko Crusted Cod Fillets with Fresh Made Dill Sauce.

We are trying to up our consumption on fish of late because my husband is not a really big chicken lover and we probably need to cut back on the red meat in our diet.  He is not willing to try fish unless there is a crisp crusty element to it so I pan fried cod fillets in a small portion of Grape seed oil and Safflower oil.  Both oils have a high smoke point and mild if not neutral flavor.  Safflower oil has a high vitamin K content which is a negative when you are on blood thinners as he is.  The clinic nurse advised me to set the bottle of safflower oil in a sunny window for a day prior to using it and that will diminish it's effects.

Ingredients for Panko Crusted Cod and Dill Sauce:

3 fillets of cod thawed
1 large egg
2 T. water
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. yellow corn meal
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. paprika
1 1/2 C. Panko crumbs
2 T. lemon pepper
1 T. paprika
1/4 C. Grape seed oil
1/4 C. Safflower oil

1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. dill relish or chopped dill pickle
2-3 shakes of Tabasco sauce

Toss the flour, corn meal, salt, pepper, and the first amount of paprika together until well mixed in a shallow dish.  Using another shallow dish beat together the egg and water with a fork.  Lastly mix in a third shallow dish the Panko crumbs, lemon pepper, and paprika.  Form an assembly line in the order as I have listed.

Using a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, dill relish, and Tabasco then set aside.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. and set a metal rack inside a sheet pan on the top shelf of the oven placed on the center rack to keep the fish warm and crisp as you remove it from the oil.

Place both oils in a large, heavy bottomed, flat skillet.  Heat the oil over medium high heat and begin the assembly of the crust.

Dredge the first piece of cod in the flour mixture.  Next place it in the egg mixture, turning to coat. Lastly dredge quickly in the crumbs and place in the hot oil.  Continue until you have filled the skillet but the fish should not be crowded.  Brown each side then turn.  This should take about 5-6 minutes until the fish is done.  It should be cooked only until it flakes.  The time can vary depending on the thickness of the fish and the temperature of the oil.  Continue the process until all the the fish is cooked and placed it in the oven on the rack as you remove it from the pan.  Serve hot and crisp with the sauce.

I served with scalloped potatoes and fresh pineapple and cottage cheese salad.  Yield 2-3 servings.

Note:  I recently purchased a 5 pound box of Icelandic cod individually wrapped fillets from our Rivertown Butcher Shop.  There is no waste and I paid $30. for it.  At $6.00 a pound with no waste and health benefits to those with health concerns I thought it a good bargain.