Peixe Frito, or Fried white fish, is one of the most delicious and popular dishes in Portuguese cuisine. Being a seafaring culture historically, the Portuguese were the first ones to begin frying fish and actually introduced this practice to the Brits which led to their love of fish and chips, as well as being the first ones to show the Japanese tempura cooking. This dish, fried white fish, was one of the first dishes we created and such it has become one of the most traditional and popular dishes we have to offer. This dish is quite simple to make and unbelievably flavorful, using simple ingredients to make a wonderful eat in typical Portuguese fashion. While it isn’t the healthiest dish there is, it is probably the tastiest. Combine the fried fish with some french fries if you like that sort of thing, enjoy!
*Serves 6*
Ingredients:
2 lbs. whitefish fillets cut into 2 inch cubes
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
6 large eggs, separated
1 and a half cups all purpose flour, sifted
Vegetable oil for frying
2 limes sliced thinly to decorate
Directions:
1) In a large bowl, toss the fish cubes with the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2) In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg whites and 1/8 teaspoon salt and beat until they form stiff peaks. With a wire whisk, lightly beat in the yolks, one at a time.
3) Sprinkle the surface with a tablespoon of the flour and slowly fold it into the egg-white mixture.
4) Pour 2 inches of oil in a deep, large skillet, or use a fryer with a basket and heat over medium-high heat until it begins to lightly smoke or reaches 350 degrees F.
5) Pour the remaining flour into a shallow dish. Drain the fish cubes and pat dry, then dredge them inthe flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the cubes in the batter and fry them in batches until golden, about 2 minutes on each side.
6) Drain on paper towels and serve hot with lime sections, enjoy!