Baked Haddock

Caesar dressing as a marinade sounds odd until you look at what's in it — oil, acid, anchovy, garlic, parmesan. It's a marinade already.

Ingredients

• 10 oz fresh haddock fillets
• Caesar dressing, enough to coat
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, plain or seasoned
• Butter, cold, cut into small pats
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the oven. 400°F.
2. Marinate. Place the fillets in a baking dish and pour Caesar dressing over, coating well. Let sit 10–15 minutes.
3. Transfer. Remove the fish from the marinade — don't rinse it — and place in a lightly greased baking dish.
4. Crumb. Cover the fillets evenly with breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
5. Butter. Top each fillet with small pats of cold butter.
6. Bake. Uncovered, 15–20 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
7. Broil. On HIGH for 2–3 minutes, until the topping is golden and crispy. Watch it closely.
8. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Serving

Serves 2–3. Rice or roasted potatoes and something green.

Pro tips

• Cold butter, not melted. It melts down through the crumb as it bakes and crisps it from underneath.
• Don't skip the broil. That's where the top goes from pale to golden.
• Two to three minutes under a broiler is genuinely two to three minutes. Stay at the oven.
• Haddock is done when it flakes but still looks moist. Pull it a touch early — it carries on cooking.