Oven Fried Fish Recipe

Garry has a great recipe for oven fried fish, which we hope is a healthier alternative to the deep-fried version. A few weeks ago he went fishing with his friend and caught their limit of 25 bluegills each. So, after a lot of fish-cleaning (by Garry, not me), we shared some with our family and had a good meal. 

The method is easy. You just need your fish, cleaned and filleted, olive oil in a spray bottle (I use a Misto) and some Bakin' Miracle coating mix. We've also used Fryin' Magic, but it seems too salty for our taste. We like to stop at local grocers when traveling, and our last experiment with "hot Cajun" coating mix resulting in burning mouths. 

1. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees, with your rack or racks close to the center of the oven.
2. Pour some of the coating mix into a shallow pan or bowl. 
3. Spray your baking sheet with olive oil. 
4. Coat each fish filet in the coating mix and place them on the pan. 
5. Then - here's the trick to crispy fish: Take your Misto or spray bottle of oil and hold it about an inch from the fish fillet, and spray a bit on top. It should wet the coating and sort of drip down the sides. 
6. Bake at 500 degrees for 8 minutes. No need to turn the fillets. You can add a little time if they are larger than average. Serve with lemon, tartar sauce, or our favorite, malt vinegar. 

 Bluegill fillets ready for the oven

Baked and ready to serve!