Oven-Fried Fish & Chips

From EatingWell: May/June 2009 — Subscribe Now!

Fish and chips are traditionally sold wrapped in paper to soak up all the grease—not a good sign. To cut the calories in half and reduce the fat, we coat the delicate fish in a crispy cornflake crust and then bake it along with sliced potatoes. Serve with: Coleslaw and malt vinegar or lemon wedges.

4 servings

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Canola or olive oil cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
4 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning, divided
2 cups cornflakes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites, beaten
1 pound Pacific cod , (see Note) or haddock, cut into 4 portions

Preparation

Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Set a wire rack on another large baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.
Place potatoes in a colander. Thoroughly rinse with cold water, then pat dry completely with paper towels. Toss the potatoes, oil and 3/4 teaspoon Cajun (or Creole) seasoning in a large bowl. Spread on the baking sheet without the rack. Bake on the lower oven rack, turning every 10 minutes, until tender and golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, coarsely grind cornflakes in a food processor or blender or crush in a sealable plastic bag. Transfer to a shallow dish. Place flour, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon Cajun (or Creole) seasoning and salt in another shallow dish and egg whites in a third shallow dish. Dredge fish in the flour mixture, dip it in egg white and then coat all sides with the ground cornflakes. Place on the prepared wire rack. Coat both sides of the breaded fish with cooking spray.
Bake the fish on the upper oven rack until opaque in the center and the breading is golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Notes

Note: Overfishing and trawling have drastically reduced the number of cod in the Atlantic Ocean and destroyed its sea floor. A better choice is Pacific cod (a.k.a. Alaska cod); it is more sustainably fished and has a larger, more stable population, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).

Nutrition

Per serving: 325 calories; 5 g fat (0 g sat, 3 g mono); 43 mg cholesterol; 45 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 331 mg sodium; 955 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (58% daily value), Potassium (27% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 starch, 3 lean meat