Recipe: homemade fish sticks with ravigote sauce
Sometimes nothing beats a good serving of fish sticks. Crispy on the outside with perfectly cooked flaky fish on the inside. Although you can go in all sorts of directions with the ready-made variety (like these Mexican fish tostadas), nothing beats homemade fish sticks. And they’re almost as quick to make as grabbing them from the supermarket freezer.
How to make homemade fish sticks
First make the ravigote sauce by mixing all the ingredients together. Set aside.
Then make the fish sticks. Cut the fish into strips, against the grain, and spread a very thin layer of mustard on one side. It’s best to use a brush for this, but you can also simply use a knife. Put the flour, egg and panko in three separate bowls and season everything with pepper and salt.
First coat each strip of fish in the flour; make sure the fish is completely covered but not too thickly. Shake off the excess flour. Then dip the fish in the egg, followed by the panko. Set aside until you’re ready to fry everything.
Heat a layer of sunflower oil in a frying pan—not too thick, but enough to cover the entire pan. Let the oil get properly hot, otherwise your fish sticks will become soggy and absorb all the fat. You don’t want that. It’s also important that all the fish sticks fit next to one another in the pan; if necessary, use two pans or work in batches.
Place the fish sticks in the pan and fry them over medium heat until golden brown, depending on their thickness, for about 2 minutes per side. Turn the fish sticks only once; otherwise, they may fall apart. When turning the fish sticks, always use a spatula to prevent them from breaking in half. Let the fish sticks drain briefly on paper towels and serve with ravigote sauce.
What we drink with fish sticks
Portugal is best known for its red (fortified) wine (port!), but Portugal also produces delicious white wine. From fuller-bodied to light and easy-drinking, the Bons Ventos White ‘leve’ falls into the latter category. Made from Fernão Pires, Arinto and Moscatel, of which probably only the last grape rings a bell—and that’s absolutely no shame. A little citrus, a little tropical fruit, a little freshness, a little sweetness; this is an enjoyable, easy-drinking wine and a true crowd-pleaser. Very approachable and perfect with an easy yet highly flavorful meal. Its light acidity cuts nicely through the richness of the fish sticks. And at €5.95, it’s a real bargain!
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