Episode 201 - Pretzel-crusted Flounder

I really hate throwing food out, so when confronted with some stale soft pretzels I decided that they had to be used for something. The idea hit me to turn them into pretzel crumbs and use them in a coating for fish.
Break the pretzels up into smaller pieces and grind them up in a food processor. This will take time, and you need to be patient. You also need to know when to stop. Once you get to the point where you have mostly something that looks like breadcrumbs, but there are still some stubborn large pieces, stop. If you try to get everything ground up, it will turn into more of a powder. Just pick out those stubborn pieces and toss them out.
For two flounder filets, mix together
• 1/2 cup pretzel crumbs
• 1 tblsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tblsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tblsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
You won’t need any additional salt, since Old Bay has plenty
Take your two flounder filets and:
• Brush with Dijon mustard.
• Coat with the crust blend, pressing to get as much to adhere as possible (do both sides)
I know what you are thinking. I must be crazy to use mustard on fish. However, I think of it as mustard under pretzel, and mustard and pretzel are the best of friends.
Put a 50-50 mix of butter and olive oil in a pan large enough to fit a filet and heat up at medium-high (may vary depending on your cooktop). Fry the fish, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, which should take about three minutes per side. Move to a warm plate and top with:
• 1.5 tblsp fried capers
• 2 tblsp toasted almond slivers
• Parsley chiffonade
Half goes on each filet. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side.
You get a nice crispy pretzel crust, relatively pronounced Old Bay flavor, and the hint of fresh herbs. The capers and almonds add a bit of contrasting texture and complexity of flavor. Some freshness comes from the parsley. Most importantly, you would never think there was mustard on the fish, just that there is a little bit of additional spiciness and acidity that comes from somewhere, but you can’t tell from where. The lemon is there for those folks who like even more acidity in their fish.