Crispy Parmesan Flounder

I think most of us are thrilled to discover a new fast and easy recipe that tastes great, right? The following fish dish is a busy night favorite in our house.   The three-ingredient topping can be mixed up in a minute and the actual bake time is brief.

Although I have traditionally made the topping with olive oil, more recently I have used avocado oil.  A relative newcomer to grocery store aisles, this heart-healthy oil boasts a mild yet appealing flavor, a smoke point of 500 degrees, and may be used just like olive oil.

As there has been concern in the news recently about high levels of processing in a variety of cooking oils, I thought it might be helpful to link into a list of  frequently asked questions along with the answers.  The brand of avocado oil that I have enjoyed for some time now is Chosen Foods.  This company cold presses its avocado oil without the use of harmful chemicals, and I think this is apparent in the taste.

For those who may not be a fan of avocados, the oil has a slightly nutty taste but does not carry the flavor of avocado.  My husband, who is not enamored by avocados, claims the following recipe tastes better when I cook it with avocado oil!

Crispy Parmesan Flounder

Yields 4 servings.

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Ingredients

• 4 flounder fillets (about 1 ½ pounds; may substitute tilapia, cod, or your favorite white, flaky fish)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup panko or crushed Rice Chex (see notes)
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil (I use Chosen Foods brand)
• Freshly ground pepper and (optional) sea or kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet that has sides.
2. Place the fish on the baking sheet and sprinkle with pepper. I do not salt at this point, but you may if you wish.
3. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the panko or crushed Chex, Parmesan, and oil. Distribute the mixture evenly over the fish fillets, patting down lightly.
4. Bake until the fish is just cooked through and golden on top. Depending on the thickness of the fish, this should take about 15 minutes. If you are not sure, remove from the oven a few minutes early and cut into the thickest part. You want to see that the fish is opaque throughout. If the center is still translucent, return to the oven for a couple more minutes and check again. The fish will continue to cook once removed from the oven so just a hint of translucence in the center is okay.
5. If desired, sprinkle lightly with sea or kosher salt and enjoy!

Notes

• As I have mentioned in the past, crushed Rice Chex is a worthy gluten-free option to panko. You may wish to try it even if you can eat gluten. Three cups whole Chex yields approximately one cup crushed.

The Fountain Avenue Kitchen https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/

This recipe was happily shared with The Country Cook’s Weekend Potluck.