I came up with this recipe when I was desperately looking for a way to recreate a fish dish I knew and loved from my childhood in Germany.

My mother regularly bought frozen fish fillets with a herb crust, sold as “Bordelaise” or “Provençal”. Maybe you have seen them from different producers in the frozen-food section of your supermarket. The whole family loved this dish, even one of my brothers, who usually does not eat fish at all.

Unfortunately, this product does not exist in Greece. So, on my last visit to my family in Germany, I kept the ingredient list from the box. After some experimenting, I found the perfect crumbly breadcrumb topping for my beloved Fish Filet with Herbs Crust Provençal. I have made it regularly ever since, because my own family loves it as much as I do.

Tips for the success of your cooking

Add breadcrumbs until the mixture is crumbly rather than pasty. Depending on the type of breadcrumbs, you may need a bit more or less.

The little bit of sugar isn’t there for sweetness: it softens the acidity of the lemon, rounds off the flavour, and helps the crust turn a beautiful golden brown in the oven. The olive oil carries the flavour of the herbs and also contributes to the golden colour.

Cooking tip:

The amount of fish crust in this recipe is enough for two to three fish dishes. Store the remaining crust mixture in the freezer, and make sure it is fully thawed before using it.

Shake the container well before opening it to make the crust crumbly again.

Last but not least:

If you grew up with a frozen “Bordelaise” or “Provençal” fish like I did, give this Provençal recipe with Herbes de Provence a try. It tastes just as good as you remember, and you know exactly what is in it.

Herb Crust Provençal: Easy Crumb Topping for Fish

A quick and flavourful herb crust made with breadcrumbs, lemon, parsley and Herbes de Provence. Blend it in just 10minutes, spread it on fish fillets before baking, and keep any leftovers in the fridge or freezer.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Fish

Cuisine Fish

Servings 2 servings

Equipment

• 1 Bowl
• 1 Measuring cup or kitchen scale
• 1 Cutting board and knife
• 1 Spoon
• 1 Citrus juicer (optional)
• 1 Airtight container or freezer container

What you need

  

• 100 gr (1 cup) breadcrumbs
• 30 gr (2 Tbsp) plain yogurt
• 30 gr (2 Tbsp) fresh cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp Herbes de Provence
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 medium scallions chopped (or 1 tsp onion powder)
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 ml (about 7 Tbsp) olive oil

How to prepare

 

• Chop the parsley and the scallions finely. and
• Combine all ingredients except the breadcrumbs in a bowl and mix until well combined.
• Add as many breadcrumbs as needed and stir briefly with a spoon until the mixture is well combined, crumbly, and still slightly moist.
• Transfer the crust to an airtight container and store it in the fridge or freezer until needed.

Keyword Breadcrumb topping, Fish crust, Herb Crust, Herbe de Provence, Provencal recipe

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