I’m always looking for delicious ways to prepare fish. And we love cod. But cod is not a strong flavored fish, so that means it needs a little flavor boost from either the method of preparation or from the sauce it is served with. But Mr. C. is a strong believer that not only should the fish itself be flavorful, there simply must be a sauce or aioli to create perfection.

So yesterday I went on line and found yet another combination of spices that sounded appealing. I messed with the amounts, but the spice combination itself comes from the Kitchen Stewardship site and calls itself “St. Peter’s Seasoning”. It’s really a wonderful spice blend. (I’ve only been looking for the perfect fried fish recipe for 50 some years now. And this comes as close as any that I have tried. I added the flour, cornmeal, and milk part, and that worked very well with the spice combination. This is now my go-to recipe when I want a really tasty fried fish. And just in case you were worried. This coating is spicy, but not crazy spicy. And of course, you can always cut down or totally eliminate the cayenne pepper from the recipe.)

So please give this recipe a try. Although I used cod last evening, I think it would work just as well with halibut or any other firm fleshed fin critter. Happy dining.

1 T. granulated garlic

1 T. kosher salt

1 T. paprika

1½ tsp. onion powder

1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1½ tsp. dried oregano leaves (ground in a mortar & pestle)

1 tsp. dried thyme leaves (ground in a mortar & pestle)

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste  

½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 c. finely ground cornmeal

½ c. milk

2 lb. fresh cod (the thicker the fillets the better), cut into portion size pieces

veggie oil

Blend the granulated garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, pepper, oregano, thyme, and cayenne pepper together in a shallow pan. Whisk in the flour and cornmeal. Set aside.

Pour the milk in another shallow pan. Place the cod in the milk, turn the fillets so that all sides have been exposed to the milk, and refrigerate for 20-25 minutes.

Pour enough oil in a fry pan to coat the bottom. Heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, remove the fish from the milk and coat with the flour/corn meal/spices mixture. Fry the fish until it is nicely browned. Carefully flip and cook the second side of the fish until it too is nicely browned. Remove the fish to a wire rack and serve immediately. I like to serve this fish with a simple tartar sauce. (See recipe below)

Simple Tartar Sauce:

¾ c. light mayonnaise

2 small garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1-2 T. finely chopped dill pickle

1 T. finely minced onion

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until needed.