Quinoa-Crusted Fish with Plum Chutney

You’ll adore this crispy fish, lightly coated in gorgeous red quinoa and kissed with plum chutney.

Photo: Maya Visnyei

By James Smith

Serves: 2
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup cooked red quinoa
• 1 egg white
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice, divided
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast or whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular sweet paprika), divided
• 2 4-oz sablefish (black cod) or Pacific halibut fillets
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 red or blood plum, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 2 tsp raw honey
• 2 tsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. To a wide, shallow bowl, add quinoa. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg white, 1 tsp lemon juice, nutritional yeast and 1/4 tsp paprika. Stir 1/3 of egg mixture into bowl with quinoa. To bowl with remaining 2/3 egg mixture, add fish and turn to coat well; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan on medium, heat 1 tsp oil. Add plum, peppercorns and honey. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and add remaining 3 tsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp paprika and 1/4 cup water. Simmer until consistency is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add parsley. Remove from heat and set aside. (MAKE AHEAD: Make sauce up to 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate. Reheat or serve at room temperature.)
4. In a nonstick, oven-safe sauté pan on medium-high, add remaining 2 tsp oil. Remove fish from egg mixture and dip in quinoa, pressing well on both sides to coat. Add to pan, pressing extra quinoa mixture on if needed to fully coat, and sear until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn over and transfer pan to oven until crust is crisp and fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve with warm or room temperature plum sauce.

Nutrients per serving (1 fillet quinoa-crusted fish and 1/2 of chutney): Calories: 371, Total Fat: 10 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Omega-3s: 2,100 mg, Omega-6s: 500 mg, Carbs: 42 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 29 g, Sodium: 101 mg, Cholesterol: 49 mg

PAIRING:
Try this impeccable fish main with James Smith’s Romaine & Artichoke Salad on the side.