Scale-to-tail: Swordfish schnitzel and egg salad by Josh Niland

A super crunchy fish supper with a ghee flare, writes Ella Walker

‘Who doesn’t love a good schnitty!’ (PA)

“Who doesn’t love a good schnitty! This bone-in, Flintstone-like chop relies heavily on being fried in ghee,” says fish butcher Josh Niland. “The flavour and stability of temperature that ghee provides is unrivalled by other cooking fats.”

Swordfish schnitzel and egg salad recipe from ‘Take One Fish’ by Josh Niland

Undated Handout Photo of swordfish schnitzel from TAKE ONE FISH: The New School of Scale-to-Tail Cooking and Eating BY Josh Niland (Hardie Grant, £26). See PA Feature FOOD Niland. Picture credit should read: Rob Palmer/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature FOOD Niland. (PA)

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 × 250g (9 oz) swordfish cutlets, bone in

250 ml (8½ fl oz or 1 cup) full-cream/whole milk

1 large egg

Sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper

250g (9 oz or 1 2/3 cups) plain flour

180g (6½ oz or 3 cups) white panko breadcrumbs

160g (5½ oz) ghee

For the egg salad:

4 soft-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled

100g (3½ oz) freshly made or best-quality mayonnaise

1tbsp Dijon mustard

1½tbsp finely diced red onion

1½tbsp finely diced

Celery heart

1tbsp tiny salted capers, rinsed and drained

1 bunch chives, finely chopped

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Place each swordfish cutlet between two sheets of baking paper and beat with a meat mallet to an even thickness of approximately 2–3mm.

2. Place the milk and egg in a shallow bowl, season with salt and whisk to combine. Tip the flour and breadcrumbs onto separate flat baking trays or dinner plates.

3. Dip the swordfish first into the flour and tap away any excess, then dip it into the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip away. Lastly, coat with the breadcrumbs, pushing down firmly so the breadcrumbs stick evenly from edge to edge.

4. Melt half the ghee in a large cast-iron frying pan over a medium heat. Add one cutlet and cook for four minutes, keeping the pan moving to swirl the fish around in the hot fat and turning it over halfway through cooking, until golden and evenly coloured on both sides. Season liberally with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to rest. Repeat with the remaining ghee and the second cutlet.

5. For the egg salad, halve the soft-boiled eggs lengthways. Stir all the remaining ingredients together in a serving bowl until combined, then position the halved eggs on top. Season with a little more salt and pepper. Serve with the swordfish cutlets.

Take One Fish: The New School Of Scale-to-Tail Cooking And Eating by Josh Niland is published by Hardie Grant, priced £26. Photography by Rob Palmer. Available now