Mild, white fish needs a little help to shine. One of my favorite ways to prepare it is by painting one side of the fillet with Dijon mustard before breading and pan-frying. The tangy mustard is a great foil for the fish’s neutral flavor, lacing it with punchiness and locking in its juices.
This is a dish designed to please modern families. It’s affordable, flavorful and appealing to children and ready in 10 minutes. You can dress it down with coleslaw and baked beans, or up with fresh asparagus or broccoli rabe. Also, its preparation requires only a few dishes.
4 mild, white fish fillets, such as flounder, tilapia, catfish, grouper or speckled trout
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
˝ cup corn meal
˝ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying
Fresh lemon and herbs for garnish
Mango salsa (optional)