Fish is a healthy choice as well as diet friendly when taking charge of your own nutrition. Fish can be delicious and good for you when not deep-fried. However baked, or lightly sautéed fish can get boring. True you can add a few different spices to your coating, or right to your raw fish, but the texture never changes. Try coating your fish in something other than flour or breadcrumbs. Ground walnuts, or almonds or pecans, with a hint of orange zest make a flavorful alternative for your favorite fish. Remember to cook fish that smells like the ocean, not like fish, and to keep your portion to 4 – 5 ounces. Orange & Walnut Crusted Fish is a bit crunchy, zesty, with just a hint of sweetness. Try it out!
Nut Coating
1 cup unsalted nuts: walnuts, pecans, or almonds
1 ½ tablespoon zest from a fresh orange**
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground mustard or ginger
½ teaspoon celery salt
4 portions salmon, tuna, or other fish that is 1 – 1 ¼ inch thick
2 – 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
Sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup stock or dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
Grind or chop your nuts so you have fine bits. A coffee grinder works well if you don’t have a nut grinder. You can get a fine chop using a chef knife as well.
In zipper bag add the nuts and spices. With a fine grater or micro-plain remove just the zest from and orange you have washed and dried. Remember the zest does not include any of the white inner peel, just the orange outer peel. Add the zest to you bag and shake well.
Pat your fish fillets dry with paper towel. On a clean plate pour out the nut mixture. Coat all sides of your fish. Press the coating to you fish.
*Heat a few tablespoons of olive or canola oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Once oil is hot add fish. Cover and cook 4 minutes for fish that is 1 to 1 ½ inches thick. Gently turn and cook uncovered for three minutes. Quickly remove fish from pan to plate.
You can add 2 tablespoons of orange juice and 1/3 cup white wine or stock to your pan and stir to make a quick sauce.
*If baking your fish, heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray foil with cooking spray and add your coated fish. Place fish on foil and seal foil. Bake 4 minutes. Open foil and turn fish. Bake an additional 4 minutes with foil open. Remove from heat immediately.
**You can substitute the orange zest and juice for a fresh lemon or lime.
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