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Recipe Detail Page
Pan-Fried Haddock with Herb Salad
Summer 2021
Two hallmarks of great East Coast cooking are freshness and simplicity. And nothing says that more than a plate of fresh fish. Haddock is often the best choice at Nova Scotian fish-and-chips spots, but instead of deep-frying, we’re pan-frying the flaky fish and topping it with a sparky salad.
Serves 6
HERB SALAD
1 cup (250 mL) fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp (30 mL) snipped chives
1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Flaky sea salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless haddock fillets
1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
Pinch cayenne
3 large eggs
1 tbsp (15 mL) cold water
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. For herb salad, combine parsley, mint, basil and chives. Toss with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Pat fish dry. On a plate, season flour with salt, pepper and cayenne. In a medium bowl, beat eggs together with water. Dip fish in flour mixture, then in beaten egg.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt and foam. Add fish and pan-fry for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.
4. Plate fish and top with a generous tangle of herb salad. Side with Spicy Vegetarian Baked Beans and Chow-Chow (recipes follow), and enjoy.
Serves 6
SPICY VEGETARIAN BAKED BEANS
These quick and easy beans boast an intriguing richness from molasses, a sweet touch from brown sugar and a kick in the arse from the hot sauce. Baked and burbling, they are great aside from just about any main dish—even hot dogs.
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 medium cooking onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (60 mL) brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) molasses
1/2 cup (125 mL) ketchup
1 tbsp (15 mL) hot sauce, or less if you don’t want spicy beans
1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar
2 cans (each 540 mL) white kidney beans (a.k.a. cannellini beans), rinsed and drained
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
2. In a large skillet, heat oil and cook onion, stirring often over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute more or until fragrant. Add in brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, hot sauce and vinegar. Stir to combine and let sauce bubble over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in beans, bring to a simmer, then pour into an ovenproof 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Stir and serve at once.
Serves 6
CHOW-CHOW (GREEN & RED TOMATO CHUTNEY)
Traditionally, a colourful array of canning jars lands at the centre of the table during summertime’s fish dinners: Chow-Chow, homemade pickled beets and Million Dollar Pickles to name a few. This recipe is based on a memorable trip to Yarmouth, where I ate lobster by a bonfire, tried kippers from the local smokery and sampled an Acadian classic, rappie pie. It was there that I realized how truly regional our Canadian recipes can be.
4 cups (1 L) cored and diced green (unripe) tomatoes
1 cup (250 mL) cored and diced slightly red tomatoes
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) pickling spices mix
1 tsp (5 mL) cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2/3 cup (150 mL) white vinegar
1/3 cup (80 mL) brown sugar
1. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, pepper and salt. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 6 hours, then strain through a small-holed colander or mesh strainer over the sink, gently pressing to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Discard liquid.
2. Add pickling spices, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick to a piece of cheesecloth, and make it into a sachet by tying it with kitchen string.
3. To a medium saucepan over medium heat, add strained tomato mixture, vinegar, sugar and spice sachet. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring every so often, until Chow-Chow looks like a dry relish, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool, discard spice sachet, then add to a jar and refrigerate before serving. Will keep for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Makes about 3 cups (750 mL)
