Crispy cod & kiev butter

Method

• step 1

  To make the kiev butter, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Chill until needed. Will keep in the fridge for up to a day, or frozen for up to a month.

• step 2

  Tip the flour into a shallow bowl and season with salt, crack the eggs into a second bowl and tip the breadcrumbs into a third. Pat the fish fillets dry with kitchen paper, then, working with one fillet at a time, dip the fish in the flour, shaking off the excess, then the egg, followed by the breadcrumbs, turning to ensure it’s well-coated. If you like a thicker coating, dip the fillets in the egg and breadcrumbs again. At this stage, the fish can be covered and chilled for 2-3 hrs.

• step 3

  Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat most of the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and fry the fish for about 5 mins until the coating is golden. Add the remaining oil to the pan if it’s dry, then flip the fish fillets, transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 10 mins until the fish is cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and top each fillet with about 1 tsp of the kiev butter. Return to the oven for 5 mins more to melt the butter over the fish. Meanwhile, gently melt the rest of the kiev butter in a small pan over a low heat. Serve the fish with the buttery roasting juices spooned over alongside a small bowl of the melted kiev butter for dipping chips into.