Haddock Goujons With Parmesan Crust (Printable Version)

Golden Parmesan-crusted haddock strips served with fresh, vibrant pea pesto. Elegant pescatarian main dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 1.1 lb skinless haddock fillets, cut into finger-sized strips

→ Coating

02 - 2.1 oz all-purpose flour
03 - 2 large eggs, beaten
04 - 2.8 oz panko breadcrumbs
05 - 1.8 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 0.5 tsp sea salt
08 - 0.5 tsp smoked paprika

→ Pea Pesto

09 - 7 oz frozen peas
10 - 1.1 oz fresh basil leaves
11 - 0.9 oz grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1 small garlic clove
13 - 1.1 oz pine nuts
14 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 0.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For Serving

17 - Lemon wedges
18 - Mixed salad leaves

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange three shallow bowls in sequence: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan, pepper, salt, and smoked paprika.
03 - Working one strip at a time, dredge haddock in flour, shake off excess, dip into beaten egg, then roll thoroughly in Parmesan-panko mixture. Place coated strips on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
04 - Lightly spray or drizzle coated strips with olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown and crisp.
05 - While goujons bake, blanch frozen peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain completely, and refresh under cold water. Transfer peas to food processor with basil, Parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and lemon juice. Process until mostly smooth but retaining slight texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Transfer hot goujons to serving plates. Top with generous spoonful of pea pesto. Garnish with lemon wedges and mixed salad leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It takes the comfort of fish fingers and gives them a restaurant edge with barely any extra effort.
  • The pea pesto is ridiculously easy and tastes like spring in a bowl, even in the middle of winter.
  • Everything bakes in the oven so you are not stuck at the stove frying batch after batch.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and the pesto keeps for days in the fridge.
02 -
  • Dont skip the cold water rinse after blanching the peas, it stops them from turning dull and keeps the pesto looking as fresh as it tastes.
  • Press the breadcrumb coating firmly onto each strip or it will fall off in patches during baking, leaving you with sad bald spots.
  • Turn the goujons halfway through baking so both sides get evenly golden and crisp.
  • If your pesto feels too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon of water or extra olive oil until it has a creamy drizzling consistency.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when coating the fish in flour or the breading will clump and slide off in thick patches.
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for a minute before blitzing them into the pesto to deepen their flavour.
  • If you want extra crispy goujons, spray them with oil again halfway through baking when you turn them over.
  • Taste the pesto before serving and adjust the lemon, salt, and pepper until it sings, every batch of peas and basil is slightly different.
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