Panko Crusted Fish and Chips with Broccoli and Cauliflower Cassarole and the dreaded Roux!!

Whenever I cook fish it is always because it was the one that looked the best when I got to the store. If you go to the store for a specific type of fish and buy it just because its the cheapest or because you planned on it with little regard for the quality then your dish will only disappoint you. As a general rule make sure it doesn't look dull or slimey and has a rich color (if it is a fish that is supposed to have color).

Yesterday, after getting a good idea of what was on sale at what stores, I headed out to do a little shopping. At Albertsons I saw cod fillets that looked mighty tasty and had the added bonus of being on sale! The rest of the meal was decided by what was in my fridge and pantry already and were decided when I got home.

I like to make sure I have a protein, a starch and a veggie for every meal. I just like the balance of it all and it helps keep me in check and makes sure I don't do all starches (I'm a carb queen). So I decided on a cauliflower and broccoli casserole. I started off chopping up the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. I figure it only takes a few extra minutes to chop them up small enough to be bite-sized instead of the two-bite size that I've seen so many people do and it makes the dish something you don't need to use a knife for.

Threw them in a pot to boil (I would have steamed them to keep more nutrients but I didn't have the equipment to steam that much at once and was too lazy to steam it in batches). While that cooked I made a roux. They aren't as scary as they sound! I used to be petrified by them and said I "Rue a Roux!" but once you know what to expect they aren't that bad. Head up your oil or butter (I use butter when I can) and once it is heated and/or melted add your flour in slowly. The slowness is so it doesn't clump too much. If it does, don't worry, you can stir a lot of that out. Then add either your warmed milk (warmed so it doesn't curdle) or chicken stock (for this recipe its milk) slowly, stirring constantly. DO NOT PANIC!! It will turn to the consistency of mashed potatoes. This part always freaked me out because it looked like I was doing it wrong. Keep adding your liquid (it'll take way more than you think) until you get it to the consistency you are looking for. If you make it too runny just keep cooking it and it will thicken up again. Just make sure to keep stirring.

At this point I added shredded cheddar and mozzarella (about a cup) and ground some pepper into the roux. In a casserole dish I put the now lightly boiled cauliflower and broccoli in the bottom and pour the roux over it and top with a little more cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 min.

Now to my starch! I decided on homemade chips. Very, very simple if you have a mandolin slicer. I like to use milti-colored boiling potatoes because the purple potatoes are so pretty in the mix but this time I used yukon golds. Slice them as thin as you dare. Heat up a layer of oil on the bottom of a deep fry pan just a little deeper than the thickness of your chips. I like to toss one of the little bits into the oil and use that as a guage to see if the oil is hot enough and just throw that bit away since its likely to have gotten soggy. DON'T LET THE OIL START SMOKING!! Toss in the slices and flip with tongs if needed and then set them on a plate with a paper towel once they are crunchy (I test by tapping them with the tongs) and then dust them with sea salt.

Finally the fish. Get out three bowls or deep plates. Put flour in one, beaten eggs in another and panko crumbs in another (You can use bread crumbs instead, but panko has such a nice texture and taste). First dip the fish in the flour, next the egg, next the crumbs and into the pan with the oil left over from the chips (if there isn't enough add a little more oil and let it heat up before you put in the fish). Cook on each side until it gets lightly brown.

Serve up and enjoy!!