Haddock Goujons With Parmesan Crust (Print Version)

Crispy Parmesan-crusted haddock strips served with fresh, vibrant pea pesto. Elevated comfort food in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 1.1 lbs skinless haddock fillets, cut into finger-sized strips

→ Coating

02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
03 - 2 large eggs, beaten
04 - ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
05 - ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
06 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
08 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

→ Pea Pesto

09 - 1¾ cups frozen peas
10 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
11 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 small garlic clove
13 - ¼ cup pine nuts or toasted sunflower seeds
14 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
15 - Juice of ½ lemon
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For Serving

17 - Lemon wedges
18 - Mixed salad leaves (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange three bowls in sequence: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese, black pepper, sea salt, and smoked paprika.
03 - Working with one strip at a time, coat each haddock piece first in flour, then dip thoroughly in beaten egg, and finally roll in the Parmesan-panko mixture. Place coated strips on prepared baking sheet.
04 - Lightly spray or drizzle goujons with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until golden and crisp.
05 - Blanch frozen peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold water. Transfer peas to food processor with basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic clove, pine nuts, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until mostly smooth while maintaining some texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Transfer hot goujons to serving plates. Top with generous spoonful of pea pesto. Garnish with lemon wedges and mixed salad leaves if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The Parmesan adds a nutty, salty crunch that makes ordinary breadcrumbs taste flat by comparison.
  • Baking instead of frying keeps your kitchen clean and the fish tender without any grease.
  • The pea pesto is shockingly good, turning a bag of frozen peas into something vibrant and restaurant worthy.
  • Everything comes together in under 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
02 -
  • Pat the haddock strips completely dry with kitchen paper before you start breading or the coating will slide off in patches and you'll end up with bald spots on your goujons.
  • Don't skip flipping the goujons halfway through baking because the bottom side won't crisp up properly and you'll have one soggy, disappointing surface.
  • Refresh the peas under cold water immediately after blanching or they'll turn that dull, army green colour and lose their sweetness.
  • Taste the pesto before serving and adjust the lemon juice and salt because frozen peas vary in sweetness and you might need more acidity to balance it out.
03 -
  • Use one hand for dry ingredients and one hand for wet when breading to avoid ending up with clumpy, breaded fingers that slow you down.
  • If the pesto feels too thick, add a tablespoon of the pea blanching water instead of more oil to loosen it without making it greasy.
  • Let the goujons rest on a wire rack for a minute after baking so steam escapes from the bottom and they stay crisp all the way around.
  • Freeze any leftover uncooked breaded goujons on a tray, then transfer to a bag once solid, and bake straight from frozen adding 5 extra minutes to the cooking time.
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