Perch with Crisp Parsley and the Weekly Menu #CooktheBooks

 I enjoyed our Cook the Books Club February/March selection, Miss Eliza's English Kitchen, chosen by Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures.  

This historical fiction set in Victorian England follows the lives of Eliza, born into wealth that was lost and now helping her mother run a boarding house, and Ann, born poor and now working alongside Eliza in the kitchen.

Eliza hoped to be a poet but was told by the publisher that no one wanted to read poetry, especially poetry written by a woman.  He did offer her a job writing gothic novelettes, or suggested a "cookery" book, as recipes and poetry had a lot in common.

Eliza returns from London, where she had just gotten the bad news from a publisher, to find the house and her family quite flustered.  It seems her father has gone bankrupt and is fleeing the country to avoid his debtors.  Her mother ships her two younger daughters out to work as governesses, sells the family home, and invests in a boarding house.  Eliza decides to work in the kitchen and finds that she has a passion for cooking.  

When she starts reading other cookbooks, she realizes how poorly written they are and, remembering the publisher's words, decides to write a cookbook for the housewives who do not have cooks at their disposal.  Ann is hired to replace Eliza's family cook and help her in the kitchen and with the cookbook.

One of the many dishes they prepare was Fried Perch with Crisp Parsley.  Since we are celebrating the Lenten Season and Fish Fridays, and I am lucky enough to have some locally sourced perch in my freezer, I decided to make this for dinner tonight.

It was a delicious meal inspired by this novel.  If you are a food blogger or someone who loves to read and cook, and share your recipes on Instagram, you are welcome to join our Cook the Books Club.  You can learn more at our Guidelines page. 

I am sharing our Weekly Menu, which includes two birthday celebrations: one on Saturday for our sister-in-law and one on St. Patrick's Day for my brother Dick.  On Sunday, we are taking Marissa and Hunter to see The Lion King at the Detroit Opera House.  We will go out to dinner before the show.  You will find the recipe for Perch with Crisp Parsley following that.

Saturday-Rebecca's Birthday Dinner

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

Caesar Salad

Lasagna

Garlic Bread

Birthday Cake provided by Dan

Sunday Supper

Out for dinner before the Theater

Meatless Monday

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Potato Chips

Tuesday-St. Pat's Day/Dick's Birthday

Apple Cider Fondue with Apple Slices and Baguettes

Traditional Boiled Dinner (Corned Beef and Cabbage)

Green Birthday Cake (Pineapple and Pistachio)

Wednesday

Leftovers

Thursday

Date Me Chicken

Steamed Rice

Fish Friday

Shrimp Scampi over Pasta 

Entrees, Fish, Perch, Parsley

Entrees, Fish

American

Yield: 4

Author: Wendy Klik

Perch with Crisp Parsley

Fresh lake perch fillets, lightly floured and pan-fried to a golden brown, garnished with fried parsley leaves.

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

Ingredients

• 1 lb. perch fillets
• 1 c. flour
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch parsley, stemmed and chopped
• 1-2 T. butter
• 1-2 T. olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
2. Wash the fish fillets and pat dry.
3. Heat 1 Tablespoon of the butter and 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is frothy but not browned.
4. Dredge the fillets lightly in the flour, and cook, in batches, about a minute per side, until golden brown, adding more butter and oil between batches if needed and removing cooked perch to a warmed platter.
5. When perch is cooked, add the parsley to the same pan and cook for about 30 seconds until crisped. Remove with a slotted spoon and sprinkle over the perch before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

307

Fat (grams)

11 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

4 g

Carbs (grams)

25 g

Fiber (grams)

1 g

Net carbs

23 g

Sugar (grams)

0 g

Protein (grams)

26 g

Sodium (milligrams)

162 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

114 mg

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