So last night we decided we would have something plain, just a piece of fish and some salad… so in true Kelly style, this turned into something not so plain and of course, American.

Although this is not as ‘plain’ as first envisioned, it is a very simple and quick meal to whip up. Delicious!

Serves 4

Fish
4 fillets of fresh white fish, I used crimson snapper
2 tbs paprika
1 tbs cayenne
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
Oil for frying
1 sweet potato

Pecan Butter
1/2 cup toasted pecans
3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
70g butter, room temperature

Southern Potato Salad
8 medium creamy, boiling potatoes
1/2 small green capsicum
1 large pickled cucumber
2 shallots, greens
2 hard boiled eggs
1 cup mayonnaise or aioli
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs Tabasco
1/2 tps cayenne pepper
1 tbs water
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Apple Pecan Salad
Mixed leaf salad mix
1 pink lady apple
1/2 cup toasted pecan halves
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbs maple syrup
Freshly ground salt and pepper

First thing to do is make the potato salad dressing and let the flavours infuse and develop. Simply combine all ingredients, mayo, mustard, Tabasco, cayenne, water, salt and pepper, set aside.

To make your salad dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Next toast your pecans in a medium low oven until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Once cool, whizz in a food processor or chop quite finely. Add butter, Worcestershire and lemon and combine thoroughly. Scrap out pecan butter onto plastic wrap, roll into a sausage, tie the ends, and freeze until required.

Place your potatoes in a large saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook until tender.

Next boil eggs for 7-8 minutes and then allow to cool. Then finely dice all your veg for the potato salad. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge. Once your eggs are cool, peel and roughly chop.

To make the sweet potato chips, peel off the skin and then continue to peel with the veggie peeler, thin strips of sweet potato. After peeling, place between 2 pieces of paper towel and blot off any excess moisture. Shallow fry in 2 to 3 centimetres of oil until golden. Set aside on a piece of paper towel. These will stay crunchy until you serve.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain, cool and cut into medium dice. Combine with veg and dressing and toss gently to coat. Set aside.

In a shallow dish whisk egg yolk, in a separate shallow dish mix flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Next dip your fish fillets in the egg mix, then toss in the flour mix until lightly coated. Heat oil in a large fry pan, fry fish on each side until cook through.

While fish is frying, finely slice your apples and arrange on salad mix. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Lightly dress with salad dressing.

When the fish is ready, place on plates and service with a disk of pecan butter, a handful of sweet potato chips, potato salad and apple salad.