Fried Cod, By Way of Milan

Chicken and veal aren't the only ways to Milanese

Is it really summer without fried seafood? Not really, if you ask me, and by my own metric, I haven’t really summered yet. I don’t think I’ve had a single fried oyster or clam strip all season long — not the worst problem to have, although it’s enough to have me pining for Maine while settling for a lobster dinner in Red Hook. It might be a nice place to rent a warehouse, but waterfront property does not the Gowanus Canal make.

Not to complain; normally I would simply fry my own fish, maritime views be damned. But the real taste of a Northeastern summer is beer batter, and I haven’t yet mastered that one. Instead, after procuring a large piece of cod this weekend, I opted to look towards Italy, that other vacation spot known for fried foods.

One of the most famous Italian methods of frying — perhaps not as ubiquitous as calamari, but an undeniable classic — is the Milanese, a Northern speciality featuring veal or chicken. I do it quite frequently with chicken and had been itching to try it on a nice filet of fish; I’m happy to report that it succeeded, rendered just as crispy as any cutlet. And yes, it is basically just a large, flat fish stick, but that’s where the fancy name comes in.