Couscous & Parsley Crusted Fish

Finally! I can start using my December issue of Donna Hay (Australia's summer is our winter). This was the first recipe I tried out of all the beautiful recipes featured and it's a real keeper. The Husband (also a big couscous fan) declared it the perfect summer meal. I served the fish with a side of roasted potatoes, fresh fruit and a butter lettuce salad, which for the record were all super easy to prepare.


Couscous and Parsley-Crusted Fish

1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 TB butter
2 TB minced Italian parsley
zest + juice of one lemon
sea salt & pepper
1 lb. firm white fish (I used orange roughy)
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
canola oil, for shallow frying

Place the couscous and stock in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Then add butter and fluff with a fork. Add parsley, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and mix to combine.

Cut fish into pieces (I halved mine). Dust in flour, dip in egg and coat in couscous mixture. Heat 1/3 inch oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook fish pieces for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden and crisp. Serve fish with a little mayonnaise and lemon juice mixed well; and also several lemon wedges on the side. (The more lemon the better!)

Serves 6-8.

* I don't like the smell of fish in my home so during the summer months I cook all my fish on the grill. This recipe requires the fish to be cooked in a pan so I placed the pan right on the grill. It worked like a charm! You just have to make sure you use a tough pan like a cast iron pan or a heavy wok (what I used tonight).

image via Donna Hay