Pan Fried Fish- Grandma Style

Pan Fried Fish- Grandma Style is a delicious way to eat fish. The fish is covered with flour, then fried in a pan. Delicious!

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Pan Fried Fish- Grandma Style

Grandma Elisabeta, my mother's mom, was a great cook. She loved bringing us together around her dining table every Sunday and cook delicious meals for all of us . Her pies were fabulous.

Her pilaf with chicken was to die for and her sour soups, a very traditional Romanian way to cook soups, were amazing. 

 I miss her sometimes. I wish she would still be around to show me her secrets in the kitchen.

This recipe of pan fried fish is a very easy and delicious way to eat fish. Grandma used to make fried fish very often, especially in the summer, in her little back yard summer kitchen.

She fried all sorts of fish, from very small to big ones .

Any type of fish would work for this recipe. While I like to fry fish with the skin on, fish without skin works well too.

Some ideas for fish that is suitable for frying in the pan:

Cod is my preference because it is a sturdy fish that keeps its shape during the cooking process. Bass, haddock, snapper, carp, grouper or haddock are also good options.

Besides fish, you will need some flour and vegetable oil for frying.

Keep in mind that this recipe is not meant to be a fancy one. It is a humble recipe that is great for any day of the week. Fish cooks fast, so it could be an easy dinner.

Some people might prefer a mixture of flour and corn meal. My grandmother used that one too, once in a while.

I guess it is just a matter of preference and any method is fine. The combination of corn meal and flour will make the crust crunchier, the flour will make it smoother.

Both are delicious.

HOW TO MAKE PAN FRIED FISH- GRANDMA STYLE:

Step 1.

Pat dry the fish- Before you start frying the fish, make sure it is completely dry. Excess moisture lowers the temperature of the oil. Also, when you put water in hot oil, it creates splashes and you might easily get burns. Oil burns are nasty, so be careful. 

Step 2.

Flour- Prepare a plate or a bowl with flour. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Be generous. Also, do not use any herbs, they burn in the oil and change the taste of the fish.

Step 3.

Take pieces of fish and toss them in flour. Make sure the fish is covered entirely. Shake off excess flour.

Note: I used chunks of fish this time, but fish file works the same way.

Step 4.

Place a large skillet on the stove, on medium heat, and pour vegetable oil in it, approximately 2 inches deep. Do not place the fish in the oil, unless the oil is very hot. The fish should sizzle when touches the oil.

Grandma's tip for checking if the oil is hot enough for frying:

If you insert a wooden spoon into the oil, the oil will bubble around the stick when it's ready for frying. If you have a thermometer, the temperature should be between 300-325F, and you should aim to keep it that way.

Step 5.

When the oil is hot, gently place coated fish in the skillet and fry for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Don't crowd the pieces of fish:

Frying in large batches will cause the temperature of the oil to drop too low, resulting in a less crispy (and less delicious) finished product. 

Between batches, keep your oil clean by scooping out any pieces of fish left behind.

Step 6.

Drain the fried fish on a paper towel-lined plate; the paper towels will absorb more oil than draining the fish on a wire rack.

Serve it with lemon wedges. It goes well with French Fries (made from scratch).

Voila! You just made fried fish, my grandma's style!!!!

I hope you enjoy it the same way I enjoyed it while growing up!

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