Pistachio-Crusted Flounder

               

                 Another fish tried and another success in the kitchen to report! Last week was Tilapia and now here is Flounder. I am truly quite proud of myself. Before 2012, the only fish I ate was tuna and that was out of a can! Now don’t get me wrong, I still love my canned tuna with lots of mayo, S & P, diced carrots and onions. However, I am broadening my horizons and diving deeper into the sea these days, lol.

                I found this recipe just by searching for, as the name implies, pistachio-crusted flounder. When I bought the fish, the young man who sold it to me recommended coating it with the pistachios. As an inexperienced fish cooker, I happily took the suggestion, researched a bit myself, tweaked what I found, and viola! The fish was a touch “fishier” than that of the Tilapia, however the meat itself was juicy and mild. The crunch from the nuts was a nice contrast to the soft fillets. I think the secret, though, to this dish was the butter; the flavor it created when melted into the pistachios was delicious. It kind of intensified the nut flavor and made for a richer taste. I served the fish with some risotto and roasted asparagus. Even though you don’t taste color, the presentation on the plate had me admiring this dish before I took my first bite. Yet, once I did take my first bite I was more impressed with the fish than the color scheme going on! And if I had to pick what I would like to be better, taste or presentation, I would no doubt go with the former! Enjoy……

Pistachio-Crusted Flounder

Serves: 2-3

Adapted from: Starving Kitten

OBJ: TCW be able to try to a new fish to serve for dinner

Ingredients:

4 flounder fillets (about 1 lb total)

½ C crushed or ground pistachios

¼ C bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

S & P: salt and pepper

1 TBS unsalted butter, sliced into 8 pieces

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.  In a shallow dish, mix pistachios, bread crumbs, and a pinch S & P together

3. Dip each fillet into egg, drip off excess and then coat well with pistachio/bread crumb mixture, place on a foil lined baking sheet:

4. Top each fillet with 2 pieces of butter

5. Bake for 14 minutes or until cooked through