Orange Roughy

I get tired of the same old fish recipes so I decided to try a new recipe for sole filets from Cook's Illustrated.  Before I headed to the supermarket, I read through the recipe carefully and took note of the special warnings against buying frozen fish filets because of their texture.  Unfortunately, when I arrived at the market, I found myself standing in front of the fish counter staring at a case full of previously frozen fish filets.  What is a girl to do?  I had my heart set on making this recipe so against my better judgement, and the advisement of the recipe author, I went ahead and purchased 2 previously frozen orange roughy filets.  Fearing another epic dinner disaster, I hesitantly headed home with my fish filets.  When I got home, I unwrapped my filets and I propped my Cook's Illustrated in my cookbook holder, open to the recipe titled "Better Baked Sole Filets."  Here goes nothing...

Orange Roughy Filets with Herbs and Bread Crumbs
(I'll give you my version instead of the magazine recipe.)
3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3 Tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 Tablespoons butter (Their version used 5 Tablespoons of butter but I decided to cut that back.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 orange roughy filets
1 Tablespoon honey-Dijon mustard
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs

Combine parsley, chives and basil.

 

Reserve 1 Tablespoon herb mixture.  Add lemon zest to remaining herbs.

 
Heat 2 Tablespoons butter in skillet.  Add garlic and heat 1-2 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

 

 Pat filets dry and season with salt and pepper.

 

 Spread 1/2 Tablespoon of Dijon on each filet.

 

Sprinkle lemon-herb mixture over mustard.

 

Drizzle 1/2 garlic butter over each filet.

 

Tightly roll filets and place seam side down in a baking dish.

Cover dish with foil and bake 25 minutes at 325.  Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet and add panko.

 

Brown panko and add salt, pepper and reserved herbs.

 

After filets have baked, remove foil and sprinkle with bread crumb mixture.

 
Bake another 10 minutes or until panko browns. 

I served my baked orange roughy filets with baked sweet potato wedges.

Everyone really enjoyed this fish and even though I think that it would have worked better with fresh fish, I think it my frozen filets held up pretty well.  They didn't roll quite as tightly as the fresh filets that were pictured along side the cook's illustrated recipe but they were still delicious.  I also didn't miss the other 2 Tablespoons of butter that I cut from the original recipe.  It was really buttery and tasty even without the extra calories.  

I'm not giving up on my never ending search for fresh fish in my landlocked town and when I find it, I'm going to give this recipe another shot and see if it really does make a big difference.  In the meantime, my frozen filets were a pretty good substitute.

Ciao!

Orange Roughy Filets with Herbs and Bread Crumbs
(I'll give you my version instead of the magazine recipe.)

3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3 Tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 Tablespoons butter (Their version used 5 Tablespoons of butter but I decided to cut that back.)
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 orange roughy filets
1 Tablespoon honey-Dijon mustard
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs

Combine parsley, chives and basil.  Reserve 1 Tablespoon herb mixture.  Add lemon zest to remaining herbs.  Heat 2 Tablespoons butter in skillet.  Add garlic and heat 1-2 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Pat filets dry and season with salt and pepper.  Spread 1/2 Tablespoon of Dijon on each filet.  Sprinkle lemon-herb mixture over mustard.  Drizzle 1/2 garlic butter over each filet.  Tightly roll filets and place seam side down in a baking dish.  Cover dish with foil and bake 25 minutes at 325.  Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet and add panko.  Brown panko and add salt, pepper and reserved herbs.  After filets have baked, remove foil and sprinkle with bread crumb mixture.  Bake another 10 minutes or until panko browns.