Hash Brown Fish
If you can’t get yourself to like seafood, we have just the recipe to change your mind. Presenting hash brown fish, a crispy, savory marriage of a breakfast classic and tender fish fillets by Michelle Tam, author of Nom Nom Paleo Let’s Go!.
Not only does it come together in less than 30 minutes, but this recipe is also loaded with healthy fats, lean protein and omega-3s (which can lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease and boost brain health, BTW). Despite its nutritional perks, this seafood dish still feels undeniably indulgent, thanks to the impossibly crunchy layer of shredded potatoes that coats the fish.
Seasoning the fish with the umami stir fry powder is optional, but if you have a spare ten minutes to prepare it, it’ll make a massive difference in the flavor department. Mushroom powder, dehydrated scallions, garlic, onion and ginger are bound to blow regular old salt away.
Excerpted from Nom Nom Paleo Let’s Go! Simple feats + Healthy Eats © 2021 by Michelle Tam & Henry Fong. Photography © 2021 by Michelle Tam & Henry Fong. Reproduced by permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Ingredients
Umami Stir Fry Powder
⅔ cup dehydrated chopped scallions
6½ tablespoons kosher salt
¼ cup dried shiitake mushroom powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Hash Brown Fish
1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled
½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup avocado oil or ghee, divided
2 teaspoons umami stir fry powder or kosher salt, divided
Four 5-ounce skinless sea bass or cod fillets, each about ¾-inch thick
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Directions
1. Make the umami stir fry powder (if desired): Toss all of the ingredients into a mini food processor or spice grinder. Blend to make a fine powder, scraping down the sides occasionally to make sure the dehydrated green onions are totally powderized. (This seasoning will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.)
2. Make the hash brown fish: Grate the potatoes with a food processor or by using the large holes of a box grater.
3. Bundle the shredded potatoes in a clean kitchen towel. Then, wring out the potatoes and discard the liquid.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the shredded potatoes, scallions and 1 teaspoon of umami stir fry powder or kosher salt.
5. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the other teaspoon of umami stir fry powder or kosher salt on the fish fillets.
6. Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, and then add 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee to the hot pan.
7. Add two ⅓-cup mounds of potatoes to the pan and flatten them into rectangles, approximating the size of your fish fillets.
8. Smush a fish fillet onto each potato layer and cover each one with a thin layer of shredded potatoes.
9. Fry for 5 to 8 minutes or until the bottom layer of potatoes is crisp and golden brown.
10. Carefully flip the fillet packets over with a fish spatula and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes on the other side.
11. Once the other potato layer is nicely browned and the center of the fish registers 135°F on an instant-read thermometer, transfer to a plate.
12. Repeat steps 6 to 11 with the remaining fish and potatoes and serve with lemon wedges.
335 calories
15g fat
23g carbs
28g protein
1g sugars