Serves 4

Haddock, cod, or even thicker cuts of catfish work well in this recipe. If you have homemade cornbread on hand, use it.

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pour oil onto rimmed baking sheet and tilt to evenly distribute oil.

2. Pulse cornbread in food processor to coarse crumbs. Transfer crumbs to large bowl. Pulse bread to fine crumbs. Transfer 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs to bowl with cornbread; discard remaining bread crumbs. Toss crumbs with mustard, thyme, garlic powder, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle butter over crumbs and toss until coated.

3. Place flour in shallow baking dish and buttermilk in second shallow baking dish.

4. Place oiled baking sheet in hot oven and heat 10 minutes while preparing fish (don’t leave in oven for more than 10 minutes or oil will smoke). Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dip one fillet into flour, shake off excess, coat well with buttermilk, then dredge in crumb mixture, using hands to firmly pack crumbs onto all sides of fish. Transfer breaded fillet to large plate and repeat with remaining fillets.

5. Place breaded fish on preheated baking sheet and bake until coating is crisp and fish is cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Blend crumbled cornbread and fresh white breadcrumbs for the best texture and flavor. Flavor the crumbs and toss them with a little butter so that they brown and crisp in the oven.
• Choose thick fillets of fish so that the coating has a chance to crisp before the fish overcooks.
• Preheat the baking pan (slicked with oil) to give the fish a jumpstart and ensure that the coating crisps.