Fish fry dinners are not usually known for healthy food options.

The Knights of Columbus men's group at St. Peter the Apostle parish here in Fallbrook has been putting on their Friday Night Fish Fry during Lent for almost 29 years; for several years now their fundraiser has included a baked salmon plate.

Since my stomach can't handle most fried foods, I chose the salmon dinner and was pleasantly surprised how good it tasted. The salmon was mildly seasoned and very moist. Best of all, it did not taste fishy. It was accompanied by cooked carrots, potatoes, onions, and bell peppers, which almost filled the rest of the plate.

While the French fries looked tempting, I was satisfied with my boiled vegetables. I picked out the peppers and was happy I could not taste them in the rest of the dish. The other vegetables were well-done, but not mushy; they too had a light seasoning that complemented the salmon. A wedge of lemon topped the plate for added flavoring.

When the line of diners at the serving window had dwindled, I got a chance to talk to the Knight in charge of the salmon, Maurice Bernier. He gave me a rundown on the whole process that he goes through to produce the tasty dinner.

Starting at 9 a.m., he marinates 38 pounds of salmon (whole fish) in orange juice for five hours. Then he sprinkles the fish with garlic powder, adds Old Bay seasoning, and cuts the fish into six-ounce pieces. After placing them on baking trays, he sprinkles them with granulated garlic and dill weed, and tops each with a small pat of butter. He bakes them for 20 minutes - 82 servings in total each Friday.

While the salmon marinates, Bernier helps his fellow Knights

peel and cut all the vegetables that will go with it. The carrots, potatoes, green beans, onions and peppers are cooked for an hour and a half in huge pots. Salt, pepper, Old Bay, and Italian seasonings are added to the pots for flavor Bernier said.

At least nine Knights work in the kitchen dishing out the dinners with more Knights bussing tables. They served almost 250 dinners on Feb. 27, including 75 salmon plates, 110 fried cod dinners, 17 shrimp, and 47 shrimp/cod combos.

The fried fish dinner offers good-sized portions of cod, fries, and coleslaw. The shrimp, with fries and coleslaw, has been very popular causing the Knights to order more for the next week. For those diners who want them, tarter sauce, shrimp sauce, and catsup are available.

The dinner will be served three more Fridays - March 13, 20 and 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. The fried cod dinner costs $8; baked salmon is $9; the shrimp or shrimp/fried cod combo are $10 each, and children's plates are $4.

A no host bar is also available; coffee, water and ice cream are included with dinner in the parish hall at 450 S. Stage Coach Ln. All proceeds go to the Knights' charitable causes including local nonprofits like the Fallbrook Pregnancy Resource Center.

SIDEBAR

Old Bay Seasoning

Ingredients: mustard, paprika, celery salt, bay leaf, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, mace, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger.