Crispy Cod Nuggets

In the Pantry Challenge video series, Lauren Braun Costello -- chef, author and food stylist -- shows busy moms how to make meals using ingredients they already have in their pantries, solving their unique cooking challenges. In this episode, Lauren shows Aimee R., a mother of two and a PR executive, how to make a kid-friendly recipe using fish. These fish nuggets -- pieces of fresh cod breaded in Ritz cracker crumbs -- are easy to make and packed with flavor.

To begin, Lauren shows Aimee how to crush the crackers into crumbs using a resealable plastic bag and a rolling pin. Once the crackers have been crushed into fine crumbs, she sets them aside to work with the fish.

Lauren cuts 2-inch square pieces from a center cut of cod. It's important to ask your fish purveyor for the center cut, since thin pieces will cook too quickly. Once she has her cubes ready, she sets up a breading station: one pan of seasoned flour, one pan of beaten egg, and lastly, one pan of the cracker crumbs. To bread the fish, she uses a "dry" hand to coat the fish with flour, then shakes off the excess and uses her other hand (her "wet" hand) to roll the flour-coated fish in egg mixture. Then, using her "dry" hand again, she coats the fish in the cracker crumbs.

The breaded nuggets are placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzled with olive oil, then baked at high heat. Serve with whatever dipping sauce you prefer.

Get the Recipe for Crispy Cod Nuggets.