Since it’s Passover right now, everything is kinda turned upside down in our kitchen.

We are limited in our options and ingredients – even more so than usual. In this house, for the duration of the holiday, we don’t eat anything made with or out of grains – so after a LOT of ingredient reading, the fridge is bare, which made tonight’s dinner a little …complex to make.

Okay – so here’s the list of substitutions I used for tonight’s dinner:

No Mayo – all Sour Cream

No Cornichons or capers – all homemade pickles

No Breadcrumbs – Matza Meal

No Flour – Potato Starch

No Dijon Mustard – Dried Coleman’s Mustard instead.

Oh – and I left out the Worcestershire and Shallots. Just because I didn’t feel like looking up the substitutions for them.

 

Oven Fried Fish with Tartar Sauce  – The Passover Version by America’s Test Kitchen Comfort Food Makeovers (SUCH a great book!)

Printable Recipe HERE

7 year old Approved (but not loved)

Ingredients:

Vegetable Oil Spray **I used Olive Oil.

4 Slices Hearty White Sandwich Bread, torn into pieces **I used Matza Meal.

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil **I used Olive Oil.

1/2 cup Flour, divided **I used Potato Starch.

3/4 cup Tartar Sauce **Recipe to follow!

2 Large Egg Whites **I needed to double this part to make enough to cover the fish. I had a lot of fish….

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard **I used Coleman’s Mustard Powder.

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

2 Tablespoons minced Fresh Parsley **CRAAAAAAAP!  I forgot the PARSLEY!!!!

Salt and Pepper

1 1/2 lbs Skinless Halibut Fillets, cut into 8 equal portions **I had Cod. It was on sale.

How To:

1- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450ºF. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil, top with wire rack, and spray rack with oil spray **DOUBLE CRAAAAP. I forgot to do this too. Sigh.

2- Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumb, about 10 pulses. Toast Bread crumbs and oil in 12″ nonstick skillet over media heat, stirring often, until well browned, about 10 minutes; let cool **I did none of this, as I used matza meal.

3- Spread 1/4 cup flour into shallow dish. **I used Potato Starch here.

4- In 2nd second shallow dish, whisk remaining 1/4 cup flour/potato starch, 1/4 cup tartar sauce, egg whites, mustard and cayenne together.

5- In 3rd shallow dish, combine toasted bread crumbs, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

6- Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 piece of fish at a time and coating top and sides only **CRAAAAAP #3 – I did all the sides. *sigh*. So, back to the recipe: dredge in flour/potato starch, dip in tartar sauce mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs/matza meal, pressing gently to adhere; lay on prepared wired rack with uncoated side of fish facing down.

7- Spray fish with Oil Spray. Bake until crumbs are golden and cooked through (registers 140ºF), 10-12 minutes. **Mine took longer to cook through – like 15-18, then I shoved them under the broiler to get extra crispy on top.

Serve with remaining tartar sauce.

Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Light Mayo

2 Tablespoons Low-Fat Sour Cream

4 minced Cornichons

2 teaspoons Cornichon juice

2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon minced Shallot

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

**I used 1/2 cup Sour Cream, 2 Tablespoons homemade pickles cut up small small small, 1 splash of lemon juice, salt and a dash of Garlic Powder.

How To:

1- Mix everything together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

END RESULTS:

While we liked the fish, I found it a little matza-y. C asked that I make this again one day – using real ingredients, then we can judge the recipe.

Also, C looked at me and asked that I explain ALL the ingredients in this version of Tartar Sauce please.

After the hefty list, he looked at me and said, “Isn’t Tartar Sauce just Mayonnaise and Relish mixed together?”

…Next time. Next time it will be.