Boston Crumb Baked Haddock Recipe

Preheat and prepare fish

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the haddock fillets dry with paper towels. Lightly oil a baking dish or line it with parchment and brush with the olive oil or spray. Arrange the fillets in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Zest the lemon before cutting. Cut the lemon in half; reserve one half for zest (already added to topping) and slice remaining half into wedges for serving.

Make the crumb mixture

In a medium bowl combine the dry breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan. Stir to distribute evenly.

In a small bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), and lemon zest until smooth and slightly emulsified.

Pour the wet mixture over the breadcrumb mixture. Using a fork, toss until the crumbs are evenly coated and hold together in slightly damp clumps. The topping should be moist but not soggy; add up to 1 tablespoon more melted butter if it seems too dry.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add a pinch of salt or more lemon zest if desired (remember the fish was already salted).

Top the fillets

Divide the crumb topping evenly among the four fillets, pressing lightly with the back of a spoon so the crumbs adhere to the fish in a compact layer about 1/4–1/2 inch thick.

Bake the topped haddock in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 12–16 minutes, depending on thickness: fillets about 1 inch thick will take roughly 12 minutes, thicker pieces up to 16. The fish is done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork and the topping is golden brown. If the topping is not as brown as you'd like, broil on high for 1–2 minutes while watching carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and allow the fish to rest for 2 minutes. Serve each fillet with a lemon wedge for squeezing over the fish. Optionally garnish with additional chopped parsley.