ROCK COD FROM SANTA BARBARA WITH ITS PRETTY PINK SKIN IS ONE OF OUR FEW TRULY LOCAL FISHES. IT'S WHITE FLESH IS FIRMER, LESS FLAKEY THAN ITS ATLANTIC COUSIN AND MUCH MORE FLAVORFUL THAN HALIBUT. CHEAPER, TOO. I USUALLY PAN COOK THE SKIN-ON FILLETS, THEN MAKE A SAUCE WITH THE PAN JUICES, SHALLOTS, LEMON, OR CHOPPED TOMATOES. A DASH OF SAFFRON NEVER HURTS. BUT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO EXPAND MY WOK SKILLS AND HAVE FOUND THAT AMONG THE MYRIAD OF COOKING TECHNIQUES YOU CAN EXECUTE IN THIS MULTI-PURPOSE POT/PAN, FRYING IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST. I WANTED JUST A LITTLE CRUNCH ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FISH, SO I DREDGED THE FILLETS IN A COMBINATION OF SEMOLINA AND WONDRA FLOUR JUST BEFORE FRYING. IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES, THE SKIN TURNED GOLDEN AND THE FISH WAS DONE-- JUICY ON THE INSIDE; SLIGHTLY CRUNCHY ON THE OUTSIDE. I'D PREPARED A TOMATO SALSA WITH SPRING ONIONS, A WHITE NECTARINE, FRESH BASIL, MINT, AND A PINCH OF CHILI FLAKES. BEFORE COOKING THE FISH, I FRIED BATONS OF ZUCCHINI DREDGED IN THE FLOUR MIXTURE. I INVITE YOU TO TRY THE SAME TECHNIQUE WITH THE FISH OF YOUR CHOICE, SHRIMP OR SCALLOPS. AND DO YOURSELF A FAVOR. BUY A WOK.
PEEL AND ROUGHLY CHOP THE ONION. PLACE IN A BOWL WITH A GENEROUS PINCH OF SALT, SEVERAL GRINDS OF BLACK PEPPER AND CHILI FLAKES. (OR A SEEDED HOT CHILI PEPPER, SEEDED AND THINLY SLICED. ADD A TBSP OF RED WINE VINEGAR. CUT UP THE TOMATOES AND THE NECTARINE AND ADD TO THE BOWL. DO NOT MIX YET.
SCRUB THE OUTSIDE OF THE ZUCCHINIS WITH A VEGETABLE BRUSH. TRIM THE ENDS. SLICE LENGTHWISE INTO QUARTERS, THEN INTO EIGHTHS. CUT CROSSWISE INTO QUARTERS. TOSS IN A COLANDER WITH A FEW TBSPS OF SALT. ALLOW TO SIT FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE FRYING.
MIX THE SEMOLINA AND WONDRA FLOURS TOGETHER AND SPREAD ON A DINNER PLATE.
POUR ENOUGH PEANUT OIL TO A LEVEL OF TWO INCHES IN YOUR PAN OR WOK. HEAT TO 350º.
DREDGE THE ZUCCHINI BATONS IN THE FLOUR MIXTURE, SHAKE OFF EXCESS AND FRY HALF AT A TIME, MAKING SURE THE PIECES STAY SEPARATE. AS SOON AS THEY TURN LIGHT BROWN, THEY'RE DONE. REMOVE WITH A SLOTTE SPOON AND DRAIN ON A WIRE RACK OVER A FLATTENED PAPER BAG. KEEP WARM IN A LOW OVEN ON A BED OF PAPER TOWELS.
SEASON THE COD FILLETS WITH SALT AND PEPPER. DREDGE IN THE FLOUR MIXTURE AND SLIDE INTO THE HOT OIL. FRY FOR 2 MINUTES, THEN GENTLY TURN THEM OVER AND FRY ANOTHER 2 MINUTES. WHEN THE SKIN TURNS LIGHT BROWN AND CURLS UP A BIT, THE FISH IS DONE. REMOVE TO THE WIRE RACK SO THE OIL RUNS OFF.
TOSS THE SALSA WITH THE FRESH HERBS AND A SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL.
SERVE WITH TOMATO SALSA, ZUCCHINI BATONS AND LEMON WEDGES.
SERVES 2
Ingredients
Directions
PEEL AND ROUGHLY CHOP THE ONION. PLACE IN A BOWL WITH A GENEROUS PINCH OF SALT, SEVERAL GRINDS OF BLACK PEPPER AND CHILI FLAKES. (OR A SEEDED HOT CHILI PEPPER, SEEDED AND THINLY SLICED. ADD A TBSP OF RED WINE VINEGAR. CUT UP THE TOMATOES AND THE NECTARINE AND ADD TO THE BOWL. DO NOT MIX YET.
SCRUB THE OUTSIDE OF THE ZUCCHINIS WITH A VEGETABLE BRUSH. TRIM THE ENDS. SLICE LENGTHWISE INTO QUARTERS, THEN INTO EIGHTHS. CUT CROSSWISE INTO QUARTERS. TOSS IN A COLANDER WITH A FEW TBSPS OF SALT. ALLOW TO SIT FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE FRYING.
MIX THE SEMOLINA AND WONDRA FLOURS TOGETHER AND SPREAD ON A DINNER PLATE.
POUR ENOUGH PEANUT OIL TO A LEVEL OF TWO INCHES IN YOUR PAN OR WOK. HEAT TO 350º.
DREDGE THE ZUCCHINI BATONS IN THE FLOUR MIXTURE, SHAKE OFF EXCESS AND FRY HALF AT A TIME, MAKING SURE THE PIECES STAY SEPARATE. AS SOON AS THEY TURN LIGHT BROWN, THEY'RE DONE. REMOVE WITH A SLOTTE SPOON AND DRAIN ON A WIRE RACK OVER A FLATTENED PAPER BAG. KEEP WARM IN A LOW OVEN ON A BED OF PAPER TOWELS.
SEASON THE COD FILLETS WITH SALT AND PEPPER. DREDGE IN THE FLOUR MIXTURE AND SLIDE INTO THE HOT OIL. FRY FOR 2 MINUTES, THEN GENTLY TURN THEM OVER AND FRY ANOTHER 2 MINUTES. WHEN THE SKIN TURNS LIGHT BROWN AND CURLS UP A BIT, THE FISH IS DONE. REMOVE TO THE WIRE RACK SO THE OIL RUNS OFF.
TOSS THE SALSA WITH THE FRESH HERBS AND A SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL.
SERVE WITH TOMATO SALSA, ZUCCHINI BATONS AND LEMON WEDGES.
SERVES 2
