Food is love for me and home cooked meals do wonders for my man. This does not restrict us from eating out but I love to cook and he loves my cooking. This helps to bring us together even more and for this reason I try creative ways of cooking healthy. That being said, I wanted to treat my husband with something simple, healthy yet yummy on his birthday. Since, he was working that day and had a meeting in the evening I planned to make a special lunch.
Every time we go for a walk on the dykes in Steveston, my husband comes back without eating fish and chips, which he happens to love. Steveston is a small fishing village in Richmond and an excellent place for walking, biking and eating fish and chips. We often go there to get some fresh air and enjoy great scenery on a nice day. With me being gluten free, my husband finds an excuse and a solid reason to avoid fried food. So, I thought to make baked fish and chips for his birthday with light lemony dessert. I had this fish recipe saved in my bookmarks since 2009 but never get around to making it. This is heart healthy, batter and grease free version of baked fish and chips.
I bought really nice thick halibut fillets that I found in the seafood case at Choices market, coated with a wondrous concoction of red chillies (harissa paste) for spiciness and covered with chopped almonds and mesa sunrise flakes for an extra crunch.
The simple side of chips that I chose to make took me a long time. I cut thin slices of sweet potato, tossed them in olive oil, salt and red chili powder and baked at 450° F. But… they got burned, even though I followed the recipe exactly as written and checked the chips before final cooking time. I made another batch but they got burnt as well… The baking instructions were pretty clear, temperature was right, the thickness of chips was ok, what I did wrong was clueless. I reduced the temperature of my oven but still the next batch wasn’t any good either. Before I even think of changing my original plan at the last moment, I thought of trying the chips one last time, with potatoes. Because, I certainly do not want my husband to eat burnt chips.
I wish I could have made sweet potato chips with success, which were crispy but burnt, where as the potato chips had a nice roasted flavor but were not crispy. They didn’t look or taste bad either next to spicy crispy fish and salad. I was actually, quite pleased that my husband liked the lunch and approved of the baked potato chips over fried.
An exotic and heart healthy version of fish and chips.
Ingredients
- 3 skinless halibut fish fillets
- 2 1/4 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp crushed mesa sunrise flakes or any neutral tasting gf cereal
- 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp chopped almonds
- 2 red potato with skin
- salt and pepper (and red chili powder) to taste
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- Mix chopped almonds and mesa sunrise flakes in a small bowl.
- Coat both sides of fish with lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
- Cover the top of fish with harissa. Spoon almond mixture on each fillet, spread to cover the fish and pat lightly. Spray with oil.
- Arrange the fish in prepared baking pan.
- Bake the fish for 15 -20 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish.
- Preheat oven to 450° (which already is). Line a large baking sheet with foil.
- Coat the foil with non stick spray.
- Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Coat potato slices with non stick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper ( or red chili powder).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and crisp.
Notes
If any potato slices brown more quickly than others, remove from baking sheet.
yummychunklet
Ooh, this fish looks great, especially with the potatoes!
Monica
I couldn’t agree with you more. We used to eat out pretty often but moving to the suburbs, there were less options and I’ve begun to cook a lot more in the last year (not just desserts). Lately, I have little craving to eat out and just love to make healthier meals at home. My husband & I do date night at home some fridays. I love to cook for him, too! : ) Your fish and chips looks delicious – no wonder your husband enjoyed it! I roast sweet potatoes and have done it in cubes and wedges and whole but not in chip form. I think you might have better luck with baked “fries” where they’re cut larger. But they look wonderful. I love roasted potatoes, too! : )
Balvinder
Monica, we live in a city and there are numerous eating places around but our choices have changed and eat out just once or twice a month. I don’t even get cravings as we party a lot, almost like every Saturday. I sometimes get tired of eating restaurant food so mostly cook light food at home. My husband always gets happy whatever I cook. If you have noticed I rarely use potatoes in my cooking and that’s because my husband and daughter do not like eating them but they don’t mind eating baked potato chips.
Amelia
Hi Balvinder, great looking baked fish, very scrumptious. I like the topping. 🙂
I yet to try bake chips. Most time I boiled the cut potatoes till cook, drain and pat dry. Then pan fry in non stick pan until slightly brown and crispy. I seldom eat out too, most day I prefer to cook my own meals. I only indulge in restaurant food once or twice a month. Home cook food is still the best and more healthy.
Best regards. Have a great weekend.
Balvinder
Thank you Amelia, I have also done the parboiling of cubed potatoes only to be roasted in oven. I might burn in pan. Most days I cook at home and we eat as a family and when we go out my daughter and husband always choose a restaurant where I can eat. It is like a task for them but we love to try different cuisines.
Thanks one again and have a good weekend!
Ansh | Spiceroots
I always look forward to your posts as I have recently started to eat gluten free. I am also trying to go grain free for a while. Let’s see how that pans out ( the kashmiri in me would terribly miss the rice).
With a lunch like that I don’t think I will ever ask, where is the bread!
For making a potato pizza I brine the cut potato slices in salt water for at least an hour and then pat them dry and toss them into the oven. They turn out crisp. I think that might work to make just the chips too, haven’t tried it.. but will try it soon and report 😀
Balvinder
Ansh, I can never think of cutting rice from my diet. It is a must for me. Actually I love carbs, when I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, first thing that I worried of was Bread and that’s what I tried first. I am pretty happy now with all my creations. For making pizza I use a mix of gluten free flours not potatoes. But yeah if you are going grain free then its fine for you. If you ever change you plan and want to try a GF pizza check out my two recipes.
Sugar et al
This is such a delicious yet healthy version of the fish and chips. I love harissa and the addition of almonds just makes it all the more special. I am not surprised that your husband enjoyed it. Why would one eat out when such lovely dishes are made at home!
Balvinder
At times I feel I spoiled my family but its give and take. My family loves food, all types of good food. My husband also makes my day special by cooking some of his signature dishes. I have posted one of his stuffed omelette recipe, you must check that out.
Nava Krishnan
You took the words out of my mouth Bal. Cooking and having a meal together is the most important bonding in any relationship. But sometimes I feel sorry for my other half because he has eat my new recipes which may not not turned out right. After a while, he practically begs me to make rasam for him.
Lovely simple fish dish but one or two of the ingredients need to be changed because I can’t them over here. We eat fish so often and sometimes I am lost what style to make. Will try out and let my other half try out.
Balvinder
This close connection is only possible if all members of the family loves food, which we do. Growing up my husband missed good food , his mother had no interest in cooking. He was very excited when he learnt after marriage that cooking is my passion.
Nava, I love your fish dishes, too. Inspired from yours and Azlin’s recipes I shared a photo of Sambal Fish on Google+ that I made few days ago.
Liz
That looks fabulous – I would love that for lunch. What are Mesa sunrise flakes though?
Balvinder
Liz mesa sunrise flakes is gluten free cereal. I have used it many times in my recipe, so forgot to make a link or mention that it is a cereal. I will update the recipe now.
Azlin Bloor
Steveston sounds like a wonderful place to potter about in, Balvinder! I love the fish and the potato slices, especially the topping for the fish.
Balvinder
Thanks Azlin, Steveston is an enchanted place in Richmond, where everyone finds something of their interest. When we have company we go there to fly kites and buy fresh fish.
Kalyan
Fish and chips just looks an amazing combo…mouthwatering stuff!
Blackswan
Interesting to see those toppings on the baked fish. I’m sure it added another dimension to the dish. Thks so much for your email! Did u get my reply? Finally got it working. Phew! I thought u just bought a custom domain; didn’t know u change the host too. My next step is to get it hosted………..
Balvinder
Shirley, Thank you for nice words. I got your reply, I thought you were moving blogs because mine is an independent blog on a different blogging platform. Its not BlogSpot.
Coffee and Crumpets
Fish and chips, my favourite British food 🙂 I see you kicked it up a notch by adding harissa, and almond topping! A lovely birthday treat for your hubby.
Nazneen
easyfoodsmith
This must have been a healthy and yummy treat for your hubby for sure! The fish looks perfect and so do the chips. Love your healthy take on the chips. I am salivating!
Purabi Naha | Cosmopolitan Currymania
Harissa fish sounds perfect for my man too! i would definitely give this a try, balvinder. Fish-n-chips is something quite addictive. Lovely recipe!
Balvinder
Thank you for your compliment, Purabhi. It was so nice to see you after a long time. How have you been?
Jennifer Eloff
This meal looks wonderful. Don’t worry I’ve had the same experience with yams – guess, similar to sweet potatoes. Yams also take forever to cook if you boil them. Yikes!!
Nami | Just One Cookbook
We eat fish all the time and this crispy flakes texture makes it fun and different. Love the healthy baked chips as well – my son and I usually finish 80% of it. 😀
Maria
I can totally understand the bonding over food, Balvinder. It’s a beautiful expression of love.
Your recipe is a smart and delicious take on the traditional fish and chips, especially that crispy coating of nuts and cereal is brilliant.
Lisa
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! I just substituted pistachios for the cereal as that’s what I had on hand. I’ll be making it again. thanks for the recipe!
Balvinder
Thanks for reporting back Lisa, always nice to hear if someone tries a recipe!
Dahn@savorthebest
Harissa sounds fabulous with fish and chips. What a great flavor!