with balsamic tartar sauce. Seasoned with fresh herbs, with a lovely crunch and a cheesy undertone, this oven “fried” whitefish is so easy and delicious! (Plus it’s much less messy to make than fried fish.) Topped with a bit of balsamic tartar sauce to add a little creaminess and that tangy pickle flavor, you’ll definitely enjoy your “catch”.
The balsamic tartar sauce can be whipped up in a matter of minutes … don’t skip the balsamic vinegar! That little bit of tangy sweetness makes the sauce taste SO good. My ex-husband used to make tartar sauce this way and everyone always raved about his tartar sauce.
It’s Memorial Day weekend and for the sports enthusiasts in my part of the world, that means it’s time to go fishing! I’ve loved to camp and fish ever since I was a little girl. My mom and dad used to take us on camping trips when we were little … they didn’t have much money back then, and camping was the only way we could really afford to travel. So many good memories were made travelling in our white van with the canoe tied to the top, headed to the lake to do some fishing. The thrill of feeling a bite on the hook, knowing just how to jerk the pole to “set” the hook and then the excitement of reeling it in and seeing just what was on the line … when the fish are biting, it’s SO much fun! Even if they’re not biting, it’s so nice and relaxing to be out on the water.
I don’t go fishing much anymore, but I still get my fair share of fresh-caught fish because my parents, siblings, nieces and nephews who all fish and they love to share what they catch. We went up to visit my parents last weekend (a little social distancing visit) and my dad had been fishing. He had 2.5 lbs. of Silver Bass for me to take home! Next to walleye, silver bass is one of my favorite kinds of fish. It’s tender, mild, flaky and not too fishy-tasting. My dad is really good at cleaning it so there are no bones in there too. (Have I mentioned I have the BEST dad?)
Could you use other fish in this recipe?
Absolutely! Really, there’s no limit of what types of fish you could use … I haven’t met a piece of fish yet that doesn’t take well to breading. And tartar sauce is pretty much the standard side whenever you have “fried” fish.
What to serve with this fish?
For this meal, I served the fish over a bed of quinoa and then tossed some asparagus with a little oil and some of the crumbs and threw it in the oven while the fish was baking for a super easy, well-balanced meal. You could also serve it with rice (or cauliflower rice), maybe on a bed of spinach or mashed potatoes or how about some oven-baked steak fries? Add a little steamed broccoli or some green beans, or possibly a light side salad and you’re golden!
I hope you enjoy this recipe. It’s one I’ve made in many forms over the years and I just love it. It’s great for fish tacos too or simply topped with a fruity salsa. And if you have leftovers, you can always make them into fish cakes. That’s what I’m planning to do with mine!
Print
Parmesan Almond Crusted Bass
Description
Seasoned with fresh herbs, with a lovely crunch and a cheesy undertone, this oven “fried” whitefish is so easy and delicious! (Plus it’s much less messy to make than fried fish.) Topped with a bit of balsamic tartar sauce to add a little creaminess and that tangy pickle flavor, you’ll definitely enjoy your “catch”.
Ingredients
For the breading:
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs or crushed rice chex (for gluten free, use rice chex)
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: dried dill, onion powder and garlic powder
- Several fresh tarragon leaves (or other fresh herb)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
For the fish:
- 1/2 cup milk
- Silver bass fillets (or other whitefish), skin and bones removed
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- Cooking spray (preferably without added propellants)
For the balsamic tartar sauce:
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish or chopped pickles
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder and dried dill
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Oil a rimmed baking sheet liberally with avocado oil (or other vegetable oil).
- In a mini food processor, add the almonds and pulse several times until chopped into small bits, then add the rest of the breading ingredients and pulse again to fully mix the ingredients. Pour some of the breading into a large, flat bowl.
- Pour the milk into a second flat bowl. Lightly salt and pepper the fish fillets on both sides, then, using tongs, lift a fillet into the milk, flipping to make sure the fish is completely coated. Use the tongs to lift the fillet into the bowl of breading. Use your fingers to pour crumbs over the top of the fillet, then flip it and make sure the bottom side is fully coated. Set the fillet on the prepared pan and repeat until you have enough fish.
- Spray the top of the breaded fish with cooking spray. Set in the oven and bake for 18 – 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.
- While the fish is baking, in a small bowl, stir together the tartar sauce ingredients until well mixed. Taste and add more pickles or seasonings as desired.
Notes
You should have enough breading to coat about 2 1/2 lb. fish. If you’re doing less, freeze the remaining coating and use for chicken, fish, pork, or on roasted veggies such as asparagus, zucchini or broccoli.
© Copyright 2020, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. I love it when you share, but please do not use my images on your own site/page without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. Sharing, pinning, and tweeting is always appreciated as long as the shares and pins link back to here for the recipe. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
