quick and easy meals for 1 or 2

Fish and Chips



This meal takes me back to growing up in New Jersey. The town we lived in when I was a real little guy had a lot of English and Scotch people and there were more “fish and chips” places than there are McDonalds now, a lot more. When you wanted to walk out while eating they served them up to you in cones made from newspapers and you put vinegar on the fries (chips). Needless to say the newspaper cones got a little oil soaked. Enough history. Don’t get scared. This is going to be real easy without a lot of hot deep fat frying.

First let’s talk about the fish. I’ve been buying frozen Tilapia fillets. They’re real easy to work with. They come in portion sized fillets and of course what you don’t use can be waiting in the freezer for you for another day. Next let’s get some frozen, blanched (partially cooked) French fries. If they don't have blanched just go with regular. They'll just take a little longer to cook. Don’t forget some salad stuff or a veggie of some kind. I’m going to get a bag of those little cleaned and skinned carrots. We’ll make them look and taste great.

Put the frozen fish in a bowl of water.

Heat up the oven to 400 degrees. Spread as many of the fries as you are going to serve on a pam sprayed cookie sheet. Not piled up on top of each other. Spread them out just 1 fry deep. Put them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. They might take a little longer. Watch them.

Put the carrots on the stove to boil with enough water to cover and a dash of salt .

Put a frying pan on med high heat with enough oil to cover the bottom and a little more. Beat up an egg add a little milk or beer. Beat it some more to mix it in. Put some bread crumbs on a dinner plate. I always add something to the crumbs, some basil, some grated cheese, maybe some red pepper flakes, whatever. Take a fillet out of the water, pat it dry and put it in the egg batter. Cover both sides then in the bread crumbs, cover both sides. Drop a little pinch of crumbs in the oil to see if it sizzles yet. When it’s hot enough put the fish in cook for 1 ½ to 2 min. per side. Remove from the oil to the plate you are going to serve it on. The carrots should be done, firm but chewable. Drain return to the pot, mix in about a Tbsp. of butter and some dried parsley flakes. The potatoes should be done.

SERVE IT UP!!! With some lemon wedges for the fish and maybe the rest of that beer!