Lent is here, so it’s officially fish fry season. That means, on every social media platform out there, everyone in town is asking where to find the best fish fries in Pittsburgh. From Community Kitchen to the Elks Lodge to various parishes and fire departments, there are literally hundreds of great fish fry options here in the Steel City.
But some tummies can’t handle all that fried batter. And some folks have celiac disease or allergies and sadly can’t go anywhere near a giant deep-fried whitefish filet (I added some gluten-free substitution suggestions below).
Let me introduce you to a recipe that was printed way back in the year 2000, which feels, at least to me, like it was five years ago and not twenty-five years ago. This fish is not deep-fried, but stick with me because it’s a twenty-minute meal that serves up plenty of flavor and crunch.
I get it. Fried fish is the best part of Lent. Without it, we’re just giving up one of our vices for 40 days. Plus, fish fries are great places to socialize and support local causes. Also, I won’t argue with the magic of a crispy fish filet, even if some are simply too big for consumption. But this recipe is easy enough for a Friday evening after a long workweek, fancy enough to make you feel like you actually planned ahead, and it won’t leave your kitchen smelling like hot fryer oil. Plus, since this Seafood Gremolade recipe came from The Best of QED Cooks, you know it’s good.
I made this recipe last Friday for my kids. Yes, they happily scarfed this down. I paired it with some store-bought waffle fries, and the whole meal came together in less than half an hour.
For once, I followed the recipe, mostly. I don’t recommend changing a thing because you don’t have to. I made a couple of small adjustments for the sake of convenience. The original recipe reads as follows:
- 2-4 fish filets
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup flour
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. parsley
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
Pat filets dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with flour, patting filets to remove any excess flour. Sauté in olive oil until filets begin to brown, turning once. Place filets on an oven-proof tray in a 350°F oven for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. After 7 minutes, remove the fish from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top. Place under a broiler until the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.
You can use any mild white fish for this recipe such as flounder, turbot, cod, or haddock.
I chose haddock because Giant Eagle had a ton in stock. My pack came with three happy little filets that would be more than enough to feed myself and my two small humans.
I seasoned and floured my fish per the recipe and drizzled about 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in my cast iron skillet. I seared them for about 3 minutes on each side before popping the skillet into the oven. I did not transfer my fish to a new pan because who wants to do more dishes? Not me!
Meanwhile, I made the topping. The only plain breadcrumbs I had in my pantry were panko breadcrumbs. Even crunchier! I chopped up some fresh parsley, microplaned my lemon zest, and mixed in some packaged pre-minced garlic. I had to stir this mixture vigorously to combine it well.
After 7 minutes, I pulled my skillet out of the oven and placed the topping on the fish. I turned on the broiler (which took three tries since it didn’t initially want to cooperate) and placed the fish underneath for about 3 minutes so it would brown but not burn.
This was a lovely way to enjoy some fish. The lemon and garlic flavors didn’t overpower the fish. The crunchy but not deep-fried texture was wonderful. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, this recipe would work well with gluten-free flour and gluten-free rice panko breadcrumbs.
Here’s a printable PDF of this recipe:
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2025.
