Breaded fish never crisps well in the oven. Here the bread-crumb topping is prepared on the stovetop and sprinkled over the fish when it's already on the plate. Be sure to spoon the pan juices around, and not over, the fish so the crumbs stay crunchy.
How to Make It
Heat the oven to 400°. Season the orange-roughy fillets with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Put the fish fillets in a glass or stainless-steel baking dish and add the wine and the 1/4 cup oil to the dish. Bake the fish until just done, about 12 minutes for 3/4-inch-thick fillets.
Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, toast the bread crumbs over low heat, stirring, until they're light brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
Transfer the fish to plates. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and spoon the pan juices around the fish.
Fish Alternatives: Any mild white-fleshed fish will work equally well here. Try flounder, sole, pike, or catfish fillets.
Variation: Orange Roughy with Orange Gremolada Bread Crumbs: Substitute the grated zest of 1/2 orange for the lemon zest in the bread-crumb mixture.
Wine Recommendation: One of the new, clean-as-a-whistle white wines from Spain or the south of France will pair nicely with the Mediterranean flavors of garlic and olive oil. Look for the Spanish albariño or a Côtes de Gascogne from France.
Quick From Scratch Fish & Shellfish
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