- 500g/1lb 2oz sustainable white fish, such as pollock or coley
- pinch salt
- 50g/2oz plain flour
- 2 free-range eggs, beaten
- 200g/7oz breadcrumbs (made from stale bread)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 lemon, zest and juice only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 100g/3½oz mayonnaise
- 3 gherkins, finely chopped
- 50g/2oz capers
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- Cut the fish into strips down the fillet, following the natural lines of the fish. The strips should be approximately 2cm/1in wide and 6-8cm/3-4in long. Sprinkle some salt onto the fish.
- Place the flour onto a plate. Place the beaten eggs into a wide bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on another plate, and mix the chopped parsley and lemon zest into the breadcrumbs.
- Now you have your production line ready, take a piece of fish and dust it in the flour, next dip it in the egg (allowing any excess to drip off) and finally into the breadcrumbs.
- Transfer the fish fingers to the prepared baking tray and refrigerate for an hour – this will firm up the fish and make them easier to handle, and the egg and flour will set a little too.
- Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 and lightly grease a baking tray.
- Drizzle the fish fingers with olive oil.
- Bake the fish fingers for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through. Or fry the fish in a pan, over a medium heat, with a few tablespoons of olive oil for 2-3 minutes either side until golden-brown and cooked through. Remove the fish fingers from the pan and place on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
- Meanwhile make the tartare sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and set aside until needed.
- Once cooked, squeeze a little lemon juice over the fish fingers. Serve with a generous helping of tartare sauce.