White Fish with Bacon Finkenwerder Style 🇩🇪

1/ Prepare the ingredients: Thinly slice the onion. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces (this recipe uses pre-cut bacon). Finely chop the parsley.

2/ Cook the bacon: Heat a frying pan and add the bacon. Cook until lightly browned.

3/ Add and sauté the onion: Add the sliced onion to the pan and sauté together until the onion becomes translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.

4/ Season and flour the fish: Lightly season the white fish fillets with salt and pepper. Coat both sides with flour.

5/ Pan-fry the fish: In a separate frying pan, heat some olive oil and add the fish fillets. Cook on both sides until golden. Add the butter halfway through and let it melt into the pan.

6/ Adjust seasoning and plate the fish: Once the fish is nicely browned, adjust the seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Since the bacon mixture will add extra saltiness later, it's best to season the fish lightly. Transfer the fish to serving plates.

7/ Finish the bacon and onion mixture: Return the bacon and onion pan to the heat. Add a bit of butter, sauté briefly, then stir in the chopped parsley. Mix quickly and remove from heat before the parsley loses its color.

8/ Top the fish: Spoon the bacon and onion mixture over the fish fillets.

9/ Final touch: Serve with lemon wedges on the side, and enjoy!

⭐️Bacon Makes the Difference! White Fish Tips⭐️ 

⭐️A German Twist on Fish 🐟 Dishes: This Hamburg specialty is traditionally made with plaice, but it’s just as tasty with other white fish. We use pangasius fillets (called basa in Japanese), which are easy to find frozen in Germany. Their mild flavor makes them a great fit for this recipe.

 ⭐️A Surprisingly Good Match: Bacon 🥓 and Fish 🐟: In Japan, fish dishes often mean simmered or grilled fish. But pairing fish with bacon is such a German idea! Even our kids—who usually aren’t big fans of fish—love this dish. It’s become a regular on our family menu. 😊

 ⭐️ Side Dish Idea – Fresh & Comforting: We served this with a cucumber 🥒and dill salad for a fresh touch, and oven-roasted potatoes 🥔for something warm and satisfying. The potatoes were made just like the ones in our Umami Currywurst recipe—feel free to try them together!

 ⭐️Perfect with a Hamburg Beer!: This dish goes great with beer🍺. We enjoyed it with a bottle of Holsten, brewed in Hamburg!

 ⭐️A Colorful Finish with Parsley🌿: Add parsley at the very end—after reheating the bacon and onion mix and adding a bit of butter. A quick stir is all you need. This keeps the parsley’s bright green color and adds a lovely fresh flavor and look to the dish.

🐟 Bonus: A Bit of History Behind "Finkenwerder-Style"🐟

💡Did you know?: Finkenwerder is a former fishing village that's now part of Hamburg, a major port city in northern Germany. In the past, local fishermen would bring home fresh North Sea fish, especially plaice, and prepare it simply but heartily.

The recipe was born out of what they had on hand: fish, onions, and salty bacon. Sometimes even shrimp were added! This practical yet flavorful way of cooking became a regional favorite, and it’s still loved in northern German kitchens today.😊

⭐️Since this recipe has its roots in Hamburg, I’ve also shared a story about our visit there. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it!👉A Day in Hamburg 🚢 Discovering Germany’s Historic Port City 🇩🇪