Almond crusted fish is both easy and delicious. We infuse flavor with a variety of herbs and seasonings, then bake it to perfection. For an extra twist, add dried barberries or cranberries. It's a simple yet satisfying way to enjoy a nutritious meal.
Place the fish fillet, skin-side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Dot the fish with dijon mustard and brush it evenly.
Combine salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and ground coriander in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the fish and pat down.
In a small bowl combine oil, herbs and garlic. Add the dried berries if using. Spread the herb mixture evenly over the fish.
Scatter the chopped almonds on top and press down gently with a wide and flat spatula. Crimp the parchment paper along with the foil on all sides to create an elevated border around the fish. This will help to retain the juices around.
Bake in the oven until the almond crust turns light golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 to 18 minutes. Tip: The time may vary with the fish and the thickness of the fillets.
Remove from the oven, and sprinkle lemon juice, more herbs, lemon zest and dried berries. Serve this baked crusted fish hot with steamed rice, potatoes or flatbread.
Notes
Fish: I chose haddock as that was easily available. But any mild flavored white fish will work. Salmon and trout also goes well with herbs.
Stove Top: You can fry the fish in a skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon oil at medium high in a 10 inch non stick skillet (cast iron would be good). Then arrange the fish skin side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Storage: Refrigerate the cooked fish for 3 to 4 days. Freeze it for about 2 months. Thaw and reheat in oven or skillet.
Dried barberries need to be cleaned well. Remove the tiny stems and place the barberries in a colander and immerse in a bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes until all the sand settles in the bottom of the bowl. Rinse the barberries thoroughly couple of times to make sure there is no sand.
For this recipe I used the Aleppo red pepper flakes which are mild and not pungent.
Aleppo red pepper flakes and dried barberries are available at Persian and middle eastern grocery stores or online.