Eglefini al Forno
Today’s recipe once again calls upon my family’s breading mixture to keep the fish fillet moist as it adds flavor to the dish. There really is no need for me to explain the breading much more than that for fear of boring you to tears. And I wish I had a great story to tell about haddock but, the truth is, I had originally planned to use baccalà for this post. Then I saw fresh haddock on sale and, well, that piece of salted cod will be used to make a fine salad.
Haddock is a popular fish on both sides of the Atlantic. Having once been over-fished, its numbers have increased and it is now considered a success story here in the US. In our Northeast, specifically the Boston area, young haddock may also be called scrod. That’s a bit of a misnomer, however, because that name is used for both young cod and young haddock. Needless to say, haddock is very similar to cod in both taste and texture, with haddock having a slightly stronger flavor. Like cod, it flakes when cooked so be careful if you try to grill haddock. If you do, it’s probably best to use a grilling basket.
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As I’ve mentioned in other posts, this breading mixture is used in a number of the Bartolini dishes. To be honest, I never realized how many until I started documenting my family’s recipes. Depending upon its use, it can be more/less moist and with/out lemon 
juice. Combine bread crumbs, diced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, and salt & pepper in a bowl. In this case, I used the juice of a half-lemon and then enough olive oil to moisten the mixture but not to the point that it’s sopping wet. How much of each ingredient you need will depend upon how many fillets there are to cook and whether you’ve plans for the excess breading. (See Notes.) Under normal circumstances, you’ll want enough breading to adequately cover each fillet, as well as to form a thin layer underneath each piece of fish so that there’s little chance of it sticking while baking. And what if you make too much? Spread it on the baking dish/sheet and roast it along with the fish. Excess breading can be frozen for later use with pasta.
Once the fillets have been breaded and placed on a baking sheet, place them in the center of a pre-heated 375˚ (190˚ C) oven. Your fish should be ready in about 15 minutes, maybe 20 depending upon the thickness of the pieces. Haddock fillets will be opaque white and flake easily when fully cooked, very much like cod. Remove the baked fillets to a serving dish, garnish will lemons slices, and serve. In the photo, the haddock was accompanied by sautéed artichokes.
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Notes
Normally, my family would only put a small amount of bread crumbs under the fish to prevent the fillets from sticking while baking. Here I placed the haddock on a bed that was about 1/3 inch (.85 cm) thick because I had use for those bread crumbs. Once the fish was removed to a serving platter, I used the now-roasted bread crumbs left on the baking sheet to garnish a side dish of pasta aglio e olio instead of cheese.
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An Update
I telephoned a 5th company today to inquire about getting the vine removed. Within an hour, they were here and removed the vine within the next hour. They will be back to haul it away at the end of the week. The only real damage sustained was to a single rosebush but it is early enough in the season that it should recover without a problem. Thank you all for your concern and well-wishes.
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It’s déjà vu all over again …
Though the weather may not be cooperating, it is definitely grilling season here in the US & Canada. If you’re at all like me, a burger just isn’t a burger if there aren’t pickles on top. Now, as much as I love a good kosher dill, for my burgers and sandwiches, I crave Bread & Butter pickles. Easier to make than you might think, my original recipe didn’t require canning and the pickles were stored in the refrigerator. I’ve since added instructions for canning them. Either way, I think you’ll agree that a few of these tasty slices is the only way to top a burger. Click HERE to learn how to make these great tasting pickles.
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Coming soon to a monitor near you … 
“Jack BRICKhouse CHICKEN”
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from the Bartolini kitchens 
Looks fabulous John! I am most fascinated with your breading mixture. Wish I had read your post a few days ago as I made breaded chicken breasts in the oven and it was pretty much just o.k. Will definitely give your a try. If you’re in the mood for an interesting read on Cod, I have the cutest little book by Mark Kurlansky called “Cod”, A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World. By the way, one of my favourites is Bacala Salad, which I haven’t had since my dad passed away 13 years ago. You just gave me an idea!
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Thank you, Lidia. I don’t recall Mom or Zia using this breading for chicken but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. It certainly works for fish and vegetables. Isn’t baccalà salad good? I’ve had the recipe to post for some time now but it keeps getting pushed off the schedule. I bet your family’s version is very good.
Thanks for the book recommendation. It sounds like a good one and I’ve added it to my reading list.
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The breaded fish looks wonderful and will certainly make it on our dinner menu in the near future! My husband has starting using a net to catch fish from the lake just across the street. It looks like perfect summer food that is not too heavy to weigh you down!
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Thank you. It is a lighter way to prepare fish and healthier than deep frying. How lucky for you to be able to catch fish right across the street from your home. You cannot get anything fresher than that! Good for you!
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This looks delicious John! I am thinking that during my summer break I should try out some of these recipes you have shared with us. Ever thought of publishing them all in a book?
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Thanks, Colline. I always get a kick when a fellow blogger tries one of our recipes. I may create a book for family but that would be all. From what I understand, publishers today are only interested in “celebrity” cookbooks. Thank you so much, though, for the compliment.
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That is such a pity as I think your collection of recipes are wonderful – as are the stories that go with them.
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Thank you so much, Colline. I’m so glad you enjoy them. 🙂
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Glad the vine is gone! 🙂 Looking forward to the brick chicken. It’s something I’ve been wanting to try, but didn’t want to dig a brick out of the sidewalk. 🙂
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I’m glad it’s gone, too! Now I can go back to fretting about the bald spots in the lawn. You needn’t tear up a walkway. You can use any heavy object. A cast iron pan will work great, too! Unfortunately, you’ve another week to wait for that recipe. I goofed. 😦
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I’ve been out of town so I missed the vine situation. Sounds like it wasn’t a very pleasant deal. Glad to hear you’re getting it taken care of. Haddock is a fish that I haven’t had much of. You don’t see it here in New Mexico, but that’s not to say that another fish wouldn’t work with this recipe. I do love a breaded fish and this looks delicious!
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Yes, the vine is gone, MJ, and peace reigns once again! Haddock is an Atlantic fish. If you were to get it fresh, it would probably be quite expensive. You could just as easily use cod for a very similar result, or, go for something completely different like salmon. This is a great way to prepare fish and we all love it.
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You make me hungry everytime…and I just ate. Thanks for sharing the most mouth watering recipes. Have a great day.
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And thank you for always being so supportive in your comments. You, too, have a great day!
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Great recipe! I love that your family’s breading goes well in so many dishes. I made sole a while back and found the breading tasteless. I’ll have to try again using your recipe!
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Thanks again, Amber. I like this breading because, though it’s flavorful, it doesn’t overpower the fish that it’s meant to compliment. I hope you’ll enjoy it, too.
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I love seafood but pretty much stick to three recipes and to salmon when I cook it at home, I tried to make haddock once and it did not come out very good, I think I may have overcooked it. This looks like a great easy recipe to retry haddock and actually expand my seafood recipes, thank you for sharing 🙂
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Thank you. The breading used here is commonly used in my family’s dishes. I’ve used it on just about every fish, save tuna and salmon. They both do better without it. The breading helps to keep the fish steak or fillet moist as it bakes. And it tastes pretty good, too. 🙂
I hope you will try it and enjoy it as much as we do. Good luck!
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