Recipe: Crunchy Oven-Fried Fish

Based on a recipe from Cook's Illustrated September 2008. Read the story behind this dish in Sunday, Dinner for Two.  

Serves 2.

Ingredients 

2 large slices white sandwich bread
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Table salt and ground black pepper
Fresh parsley to make 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 small shallot
⅛ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1 large egg
1½ tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ pound skinless cod or haddock fillet, 1-1½-inches thick
Lemon wedges

Instructions

1. With a rack in the middle position, heat oven to 350°.
2. Tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and add to a food processor.
3. Melt the butter and add to the bread along with ⅛ teaspoon table salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper.
4. Pulse until the bread is coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses.
5. Transfer the bread mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring after 5 and 10 minutes.
6. Mince the shallot yielding about 1 tablespoon minced shallot. 
7. Mince the parsley yielding about 1 tablespoon minced parsley.
8. Cool the bread crumbs, transfer to a pie plate, and stir in the minced shallot and parsley.
9. Place ⅛ cup flour in a second pie plate.
10. In a third pie plate whisk together egg, mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper then whisk in 2 tablespoons flour.
11. Cut the fish into two equal-sized portions.
12. Increase oven temperature to 425°.
13. Spray a wire rack with vegetable spray and place it in a rimmed baking sheet.
14. Dry fish thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
15. Dredge fish in flour and shake off the excess.
16. Coat the fish with the egg mixture.
17. Coat the fish with the bread crumbs, using your hands to get a thick layer of crumbs.
18. Transfer the fish to the wire rack and bake 18 to 25 minutes until the internal temperature is 140°
19. Serve with lemon wedges, tarter sauce, or ketchup.

In food processor, combine bread, melted butter, salt, and pepper.

Toast in the oven until dark golden brown.

Prepare coating for fish: flour, bread crumb mixture, egg mixture.

Dredge fish in flour, then egg mixture, then pack on bread crumbs and bake on wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.