Pan Fried Snapper Fillets with Cheese Sauce

You might have noticed that I am a bit partial to seafood :) I am, I grew up beside the beach and we always have access to fresh seafood and there's nothing like fresh really. Frozen or even supermarket seafood is quite disappointing but anyhow there are means and ways to perk things up. I just cooked this tonight for tea, it's simple, tasty and filling and also a good way to introduce seafood to picky eaters :) so if you don't mind fish then here's a good way to cook it (unfortunately I was too tired to take a photo). Anyway, here it goes-

INGREDIENTS:

Your choice of fresh fish fillets, about 500 gms.

flour, sweet paprika powder for flouring the fillets

butter, 2tbsp.

flour, 3 tbsp.

milk 3-4 cups

grated cheese 1/2 c

*Steamed veges as side dish

HOW TO:

1. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper. Let sit for a few minutes.

2. Flour fish with flour & paprika mixture, pat well on both sides and dust off any excess.

3. Heat pan, add in oil (remember cholesterol-free), and fry fish til cooked on both sides. Pat with paper towel to remove excess oil. Place in a rectangular dish.

*Now, we'll make the cheese sauce...

4. In a small saucepan over low heat add butter and wait til it's melted. Add in the flour and mix well (it'll form a lump of ball). Increase heat to medium.

5. Add in 1 c of milk and the lump will turn into a creamy, thick consistency. Stir with wire whisk to free from lumps. Lower heat again to keep from burning.

6. Add in the rest of the milk and continue to stir until it thickens- then turn heat off.

7. Stir in cheese and pour over the fried fillets. Cover top with breadcrumbs and bake just until the crumbs turn golden in color- we don't want to over cook this.

*Steam broccoli, sliced carrots and fresh peas as side dish and serve. Yummm!


Cook's note:
*If you don't like cheese then you may omit it and add in herbs instead such as chopped parsley.
*The cheese sauce will have an excess- either pour it over the veggies or keep them in the fridge for another dish.