Tortilla Crunch Flounder

And now for something completely different on this blog…

The eyed-side (L) and the blind-side (R) fillets of a southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) caught off of North Carolina. Image: Ben Young Landis

1 whole flounder, thawed, 1-2 lbs; fillet and leave skin-on 1 leftover bag of corn tortilla chips, plain, with crumbs vegetable or olive oil black peppercorns w/ grinder sea salt w/ grinder pico de gallo salsa, mild half a lime, cut in fourths

1 broiling pan aluminum foil 1 standard American oven 2 spatulae 2 empty bellies

00:00 — Preheat the oven to 400F. Move oven rack to the bottom-most slot. Spread foil over broiling pan.

00:30 – Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of oil onto foil. Take flounder fillets with your hand and dip onto oil, spreading the oil evenly over the fillets. Take care to flip fillets to rub oil both sides of fillets.  Apply a touch more oil if necessary.

When finished, lay fillets on foil skin down (see photo). And wash your hands.

*If you’ve never cooked fish before, take the back of a fork and press it down lightly onto a fillet. Feel how the meat gives to the pressure, and its lightly rubbery texture. Remember this feeling when you check the meat for doneness later.

01:30 — Grind fresh black pepper and sprinkle over fillets. Don’t over do it.

02:00 — Take your bag of leftover corn chips. Use your hands to smash chips into tiny crumbs by crushing the bag bottom. Take any pent-up frustration out on the chips. Call it names. Periodically check inside bag to see if crumbs are getting tinier.

03:00 — Sprinkle chip crumbs evenly over fillets. Sprinkle densely, but don’t pile up the crumbs. Every crumb should be touching the fillet, not layered up.