The Bass Man Cometh

I'm so pleased to have my dear friend, Maryanne Haigley, as my first guest blogger.  Maryanne and Michael Haigley live on the beautiful island of Nantucket where Micheal is an avid fisherman. Having lived on the island now for over 40 years, Michael knows where to go to catch a great Striper and Maryanne has the culinary skills to turn this bounty into an unforgettable meal.

The Bass Man - Michael Haigley

,

Striped Bass in the style of Madaket by Maryanne Haigley

(I also use this method for Cod)

This is a very simple recipe which I think is important when your fish is as fresh as ours.  I don't want to disguise the natural salty taste of the ocean with too many competing flavors, so this simple preparation works well.  A husband who fishes is a plus, but we're fortunate to also have great seafood markets on the Cape and the Islands where you can purchase fresh fish.  Our fish is always caught off  Nantucket at Handkerchief Shoals close to Monomy Island or, if  we are lucky that day, close to our Nantucket home in Madaket, where Laurie and I have enjoyed this delicious bounty from the ocean!

Ingredients:

Striped Bass Fish filets, skinned and de-boned

Panko bread crumbs

1-2 Eggs

Lemon/Pepper seasoning

Fresh Lemon

Salt

Pepper

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet (cast iron is my favorite) with enough oil (canola/vegetable) to approx. 1/4" making sure the skillet is large enough so fish can easily be turned in the pan.

Lightly salt fish and squeeze some fresh lemon on each side

Dip fish and cover in egg wash (1-2 eggs beaten with a bit of water)

Cover fish completely in Panko crumbs - I use "Ian's Panko" no artificial flavors or preservatives, and prefer the "original style”.  I've also used the "Italian style" but you should adjust the salt as this is a saltier bread crumb.

Dip again in egg wash

Bring immediately to pan

Shake the lemon/pepper seasoning while in pan on each turn of the fish

Squeeze lemon while cooking (will cause some crackling in the pan)

My only secret is that I turn fish fairly frequently so that it gets a great crust without burning.  I squeeze a lot of fresh lemon at the end as we like it more lemon-y. Total cooking time is about 15 minutes.

I usually serve this with some fresh Bartlett Farm tomatoes right from our beautiful Nantucket farm:

3 sliced ripe tomatoes

Chopped fresh basil - about 6-8 leaves

Buffalo Mozzarella or Great Hill Blue Cheese

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Few drops of balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Serve on a bed of:

Mixed arugula and Boston lettuce with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

This is always a simple, yet delicious, "fan favorite" that always receives rave reviews.

Many thanks to Maryanne and Michael.