Breaded Cream Dory with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

The last time I prepared a fried fish dish, I got a week long remembrance -  oil burns on my face & hands. I definitely love cooking but not the splattering oil.. When I was newbie in frying I was so afraid of the oil to the point of shielding myself with a big pot cover or a panner (our bilao in the province) just to avoid the oil. Funny scene! Battle in the kitchen and oil is the enemy?

I’m cooking fish (again) tonight but no worries on splattering oil as it will be a breaded fish.  Listing the ingredients:

• 2 fillets of cream dory, each sliced into four parts
• Flour
• Bread crumbs
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 head onion
• some button mushrooms, sliced
• chopped parsley & basil leaves
• 125 ml fresh cream
• EVOO (Extra-virgin olive oil)
• For side veggies – asparagus spears, broccoli florets, green beans (ends trimmed)

Procedures:

1. Pat dry the fillets with paper towel.
2. Prepare the breading. First plate – bed of plain flour. Second plate – crack egg, add salt & beat.  Third plate – bream crumbs seasoned with salt & pepper.
3. Coat the fillet with the flour, shake off any excess and dip to the egg mixture. Lastly roll it in bread crumbs and again shake off any excess breading.
4. Heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick pan.  Fire set to medium. Once hot (not burning hot), put the breaded fillets and fry on both sides till golden brown.
5. Transfer the fried fillets in a baking tray, and continue cooking in a pre-heated 180-degree oven for about 10 minutes…just enough time to prepare the sauce.
6. In a non-stick pan, add 1 tablespoon EVOO and sauté the garlic and onion till translucent. Add the mushroom and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh cream, sprinkle some salt & pepper, drop in chopped parsley and basil leaves. Cook in a low fire for another 5 minutes. Check taste and adjust as desired.
7. For the side veggies, blanch the vegetables in a boiling water with little salt added for about 3 minutes or less. Drain and put in a cold water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly.
8. Arrange the veggies on the side of the plate, breaded fish on the center topped with the creamy mushroom sauce.

9. Serve and enjoy.