Sunday Supper - Dijon Pistachio-Crusted Rockfish

After a fun little game that I like to call freezer diving, we found some rockfish fillets that Jared caught out on the Indian River Inlet in Delaware. Every year, he and his buddy head out there (or the Chesapeake Bay) in late spring to camp out, drink whiskey, and battle waves in the middle of the night to reel in the big ones.

The best f#$%ing angler EVER!!

While some rockfish is farmed, most of it is wild-caught. Like any other kind of seafood, be sure to know where it comes from and check the population and consumption advisories for that area. Otherwise, your future children may have a few extra heads or arms or something. 

Rockfish (also known as striped bass) is mild-flavored, flaky fish. The tangy dijon mustard, nutty pistachios, and sharp Parmesan cheese add just the right punch to this crowd-pleasing dish. The recipe also works well with salmon, halibut, and mahi mahi.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, shelled
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 (3 oz) wild rockfish fillets
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, combine nuts, breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper. Pulse mixture until fine.
3. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with a fork until crumbs are well moistened.
4. Generously spread the Dijon mustard on the top of each fillet.
5. Press the mustard-coated side of the fish into the crumb mixture until evenly coated.
6. Place the fillets, coating side up, on a greased baking sheet.
7. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the fillets to form a thick crust.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
9. Broil for 2-3 additional minutes until the topping is crisp and browned and the fish is cooked through.