Oven-Fried Fish Sticks With Tartar Sauce From 'Lighten Up, America!'

By
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer who wrote the "Cook the Book" column for Serious Eats.
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Updated Apr. 03, 2019
Oven-Fried Fish Sticks with Tartar Sauce
Hélène Dujardin

Fish sticks were one of my least favorite foods as a kid. Cups of ketchup weren't enough to compensate for the spongy texture, bland flavor, and grey color of the frozen sticks. Could a homemade version help me overcome those nightmarish childhood meals? The oven fried fish sticks inAllison Fishman Task's new cookbook,Lighten Up, America!, use fresh, flaky cod coated with crisp panko and spritzed with cooking oil spray to replicate the golden, fried exterior of the frozen variety. She serves them with a tangy, bright tartar sauce lightened up with lemon and low-fat mayonnaise. The finished sticks are a far cry from the frozen mystery fish of my childhood—good enough to enjoy sans ketchup.

Why I picked this recipe:I knew I needed to give fish sticks another chance.

What worked:The flour and panko breading kept the fish crisp and light, and the low-fat tartar sauce still retained its zip.

What didn't:The fish needs salt before cooking. Seasoning the strips before breading or seasoning the flour would help.

Suggested tweaks:You could use any firm white fish here in place of the cod. Adding minced parsley or tarragon to the panko would add color and bright herbal flavor. If you don't like light mayonnaise, you can always substitute full-fat.

Nutritional info:

Per 5 fish sticks and 3 tablespoons tartar sauce: CALORIES 279; FAT 8.6g (sat 1.4g, mono 3.4g, poly 2.8g); PROTEIN 29g; CARB 19.3g; FIBER 0.8g; CHOL 91mg; IRON 1.5mg; SODIUM 592mg; CALC 34mg

Reprinted with permission fromLighten Up, America! Favorite American Foods Made Guilt-Freeby Allison Fishman Task. Copyright 2013. Published by Oxmoor House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

Recipe Facts

Active:20 mins
Total:50 mins
Serves:4 servings

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Fish Sticks:

  • 4 1/2ouncesall-purpose flour(about 1 cup)

  • 1 1/2cupspanko(日本面包屑)

  • 3tablespoonswater

  • 1large蛋, lightly beaten

  • 1 1/4poundscod fillets(1/2-inch thick)

  • Cooking spray

  • 1/2teaspoonkosher salt

Tartar Sauce:

  • 1/3cuplight mayonnaise

  • 2tablespoonschopped kosher dill pickles

  • 1tablespoonfinely chopped red onion

  • 1tablespoonchopped fresh parsley

  • 1tablespooncapers, rinsed, drained, and chopped

  • 1tablespoonfresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

  2. To prepare fish sticks, place flour in a shallow dish or bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a second shallow dish or bowl. Combine 3 tablespoons water and egg in a third shallow dish or bowl, stirring with a whisk.

  3. Cut fish into 20 (4 x 1/2–inch) strips. Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Dip fish in egg mixture, and dredge in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat fish with cooking spray.

  4. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or until crisp. Sprinkle fish sticks with salt.

  5. To prepare tartar sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Serve tartar sauce with fish.

Nutrition Facts(per serving)
278 Calories
7g Fat
24g Carbs
27g Protein
Show Full Nutrition LabelHide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 278
% Daily Value*
Total Fat7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol116mg 39%
Sodium1084mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein27g
Vitamin C 4mg 19%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 438mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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