My wife thinks I eat too many fried foods. That’s nonsense, of course, but have you ever tried a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich? They are fantastic. Well, maybe I do like fried foods a little too much – which is why I developed this recipe for oven-baked striped bass.
I like whole, baked stripers, but when pressed for time, I fillet the fish. I find that the best eating stripers (or rockfish) are those around 24 to 28 inches – nice size filets without being too thick to cook easily.
Ingredients:
4 six-ounce striper fillets
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
8 tsp. Canola oil
2 large, beaten eggs
Here’s how. Prepare a six-ounce filet for each person, taking care to remove all bones and any blood streaks in the flesh.
Next, create a “shake and bake” mixture of plain breadcrumbs, yellow corn meal, garlic powder, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, and a touch of cayenne pepper. Put the filets in the bag and coat thoroughly, then dip the fish into an egg wash, then back into the bag of cornmeal and crumbs.
In hot oil (only a few tablespoons), panfry the fillets to a golden brown on each side, about 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Next, put the browned filets in a saucepan (or the same skillet if oven-proof) and into a 450 oven for 5 or 6 minutes. Do not turn. The fish turn out crunchy and tasty without the cholesterol hazards of deep-frying.