Lotte fish and chips with parsley sauce

Ingredients

• 800 g Monkfish fillets (cut into 2 cm thick sticks)
• 120 g All‑purpose flour (to lightly coat the fish)
• 2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
• 100 g Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (very light and crunchy texture)
• 80 g Bread crumbs (coarse for extra crunch)
• 1 c. à café Salt (to season the flour)
• ½ c. à café Ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 L Sunflower oil (or peanut oil) (for frying at 180 °C)
• 30 g Fresh parsley (for the purée and garnish)
• 1 c. à soupe Preserved lemon (finely chopped)
• 80 g Chestnut cream (chestnut purée) (no added sugar)
• 30 g Brown butter (butter melted and lightly toasted to a nutty brown)

Instructions

1. Prepare the fish

   Rinse the monkfish fillets, pat them dry with paper towels and cut them into 2 cm thick sticks. Lightly salt the pieces.

   Time: PT5M

2. Prepare the dry seasonings

   In one bowl, mix the flour, salt and pepper. In a second bowl, place the beaten eggs. In a third bowl, combine the panko, bread crumbs and a pinch of salt.

   Time: PT5M

3. Coat the fish

   Dip each monkfish stick first in the seasoned flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

   Time: PT10M

4. Heat the oil

   Pour the sunflower oil into the deep pan and heat to 180 °C. Use a thermometer or watch that the oil bubbles without smoking.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

5. Fry the sticks

   Drop the breaded sticks into the hot oil in small batches. Fry 3‑4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Prepare the parsley‑lemon sauce

   In an immersion blender, blend the fresh parsley with the preserved lemon, chestnut cream and brown butter until a smooth sauce forms. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

   Time: PT5M

7. Plating

   Arrange the monkfish sticks on a plate, drizzle with parsley‑lemon sauce, sprinkle with a few fresh parsley leaves and serve immediately with fries or a green salad.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Monkfish fillets: Cod, Hake
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: Rice flour (gluten‑free)
• Instead of Eggs: Milk + flour (for egg‑free coating)
• Instead of Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs): Regular breadcrumbs
• Instead of Bread crumbs: Crushed crackers
• Instead of Sunflower oil (or peanut oil): Rapeseed oil
• Instead of Fresh parsley: Cilantro
• Instead of Preserved lemon: Lemon zest + a little sugar
• Instead of Chestnut cream (chestnut purée): Sweet pumpkin purée
• Instead of Brown butter: Hazelnut oil

Equipment Needed

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Mixing bowls (3)
• Whisk or fork
• Deep pan or fryer
• Cooking thermometer (optional)
• Kitchen tongs
• Slotted spatula
• Paper towels
• Immersion blender or mortar

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Coat the fish properly to prevent the coating from falling off during frying
• Maintain the oil at 180 °C for even and crispy cooking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Using panko combined with bread crumbs gives an ultra‑crunchy texture.
• Letting the breaded sticks rest for 5 minutes before frying helps the coating adhere better.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: The parsley‑lemon sauce keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Fried fish should be eaten the same day to retain crunch.

Freezer: Not recommended to freeze fried fish; the texture becomes soggy.

Room temperature: Do not leave the dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The parsley‑lemon sauce can be prepared 24 hours ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Pre‑measure the dry ingredients in small bowls to save time during assembly.