CRISPY CRUNCHY TILAPIA

Maynard Pittendreigh

After moving to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, Maynard's favorite restaurant was Snug Harbor, and he always ordered the Crispy Crunchy Tilapia. When the restaurant went out of business, the cook often came to Maynard's church, Chapel by the Sea, which serves free breakfast and lunch for the needy on the island. The cook gave Maynard this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 large fish fillets - this can be tilapia, walleye, or other fish filets
• 1/2 cups corn flakes, crushed
• As many handfuls of barely crushed corn flakes as necessary
• A sprinkling of all purpose flour in a dish
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1 large eggs

Directions

1. Wipe the filets completely dry with paper towels and set them aside on a sheet of either wax paper or parchment paper.
2. Mix the salt in with the flour and then pour the blend on to a plate or platter and "dust" each filet in it until it is completely coated. Shake off any excess flour and lay the fish back on the wax paper.
3. Allow the filets to rest for 20 minutes (the flour coating seals in the juices and prevents the corn flake coating from falling off or getting mushy.).
4. In a shallow, long dish (a small casserole dish is good), break in the eggs and whisk them for a few seconds and then add in the milk and continue to whisk until it is well-blended.
5. Handle the filets one at a time. Dip the first one in the egg blend, coating it entirely, and then hold it over the dish to allow any excess liquid to drain off. Then lay the filet across the cornflake blend and allow it to get coated. Flip it over to coat the second side and then transfer it to the sprayed casserole dish. Repeat this process with the second filet.
6. Deep fry until done.

As a alterative, you can place the fish into a baking dish that has been slightly oiled and you can bake at 350 degrees F on the middle oven rack. Bake the fish for 25 minutes if the filets are large ones, (e.g., 10-12 inches long -- if your filets are smaller, cut the time back to 20 minutes and check them for doneness prior to serving.