For the last meal from my father-in-law’s fishing trip trout bounty, we decided to break out our mini (4.5 inch diameter) cast iron dutch ovens and create a different take on one of his favourite meals: fish n’ chips. Instead of breading and frying the fish, we wrapped it inside the walls of the dutch ovens to cook. We then replaced the fries/chips with mashed potatoes that we stuffed into the center of the fish (allowing the top of the potatoes to crisp up a bit).
With this dish, you can built as many flavours as you can think of. I made mine with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes to give it more of a Japanese flair, and my wife had Lemon Pepper Mashed Potatoes in hers.
We served our fish with a side salad of romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, candied walnuts, and dressings to suit our potato flavours. I think mine would have paired very well with a seaweed salad, and I might have to try that next time.
**As a little mathematical side note, you want to pick a fish fillet that has a length equal to the diameter of your dutch oven multiplied by pi. For us, that was a little over 14 inches long. That will allow your fish to form a full circle in the pan and completely surround your mashed potatoes.
Time: 20-45 Minutes (depending on whether you’re using leftover mashed potatoes or not)
Ingredients:
- Fish fillet of your choice. We used Steelhead Trout, but so long as you have a long, thin, flaky fish, you’re good to go. Haddock and Catfish would likely work well.
- Mashed Potatoes (use your favourite recipe or check the links in our write-up section for other ideas)
Method:
- Make your mashed potatoes:
- Wash, cut, and boil until soft
- Drain water, add butter, milk, and any other flavours you like
- Mash with a fork to combine
- Lay your fish out on a cutting board, and carefully pick out the pinbones. We find the best way to do this is to run your finger along the fillet to find the bones (they’ll poke you, making their hiding places easy to find), and then use tweezers to just pluck them out.
- Cut your fish into long strips that are no taller than the sides of your Dutch oven(s).
- Give your Dutch oven(s) a good oil spray on the sides and bottom, and begin to heat them.
- When the oil is hot, roll your fish into a circle, and transport it to your Dutch oven(s). Then, expand the fish roll so that the outside of your fish is up against the sides of your pot(s).
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, and then stuff your potatoes inside the “donut hole” of your fish.
- Cover, and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- When your fish reaches at least 150 degrees F, and your potatoes are nice and hot on the inside (as measured by a digital thermometer), you’re good to go!
- Holding your Dutch oven just above your plate, quickly flip it, and allow your fish and potato pinwheel to fall out onto your plate.
- Devour, and enjoy!
