cornmeal-fried fish with curry and veggies

My husband digs fishing – especially deep-sea fishing. And thanks to him (and our friends and family with boats who are kind enough to include him in their trips, for which he gladly repays them with gas money and beer), our freezer is stocked with fresh-caught, minimally processed, white, flaky fish. It doesn't get better than that.

Tonight was a fish night. Said hubs was craving sushi from our local joint, and in an effort to save money and to one-up dinner from a nutrition standpoint, I made another Mark Bittman recipe, slightly modified to save time since it is a weeknight. Let's just say we weren't thinking about sushi after one bite.

Dredged in flour, cornmeal and curry, this pan-fried sheepshead was paired with sauteed snow peas and red onion, and a simple steamed side of zucchini and squash. Quite the tasty and healthy meal. Give it a whirl with any white fish or seasoning you like; you won't be disappointed.

Cornmeal-fried Fish with Curry and Veggies

• 1 lb. white fish fillets, cleaned and deboned (we used sheepshead, which is a crustacean-eating fish that in turn tastes a lot like shrimp or lobster)
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 cornmeal (do not skip this!)
• 1 tbsp curry or any other seasoning, such as Italian herbs or Old Bay
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

1. In a shallow dish, stir the flour, cornmeal and seasonings. Dredge the fish fillets through it, pressing lightly to help the mixture stick.
2. Heat a pan with olive oil over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add a couple of fillets at a time, turning after about 4-5 minutes, or the breading is just starting to brown. Remove from pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all fish is pan fried and serve immediately.

Serve with sauteed snow peas and sliced red onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Enjoy!