Instructions: * Note: Good fresh crumbs can make all the difference in a dish. It may be very little things which make a fine cook, but one is the secret of keeping a loaf of sliced homestyle bread in the freezer. Pepperidge Farm makes a particularly good one. These slices thaw in minutes, to be trimmed of crust and whirled in a food processor for superb crumbs. If a recipe calls for fine crumbs, you can dry these out in a very slow oven (they shouldnt brown) and then process again.

Melt butter in a frying pan set over medium heat. Add shallots and cook a few minutes, then add pistachios and cook another minute. Stir in bread crumbs until they absorb the butter, then cook a few minutes more until the crumbs start to turn golden. This can be made ahead an hour or so and reheated.

Poach fillets in a little water seasoned with lemon juice, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Very thin delicate fillets will take only a minute or so. Remember James Beards timing for fish: 10 minutes cooking time for each inch of thickness and you cant go wrong.

While the fish cooks, reheat the stuffing. Lift the fillets onto warm plates with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle the stuffing on top and serve immediately.

This recipe serves 4.

Comments: Not only is this stuffing delicious, it stays crisp rather than going soggy, as stuffings that are actually inside the fish tend to do. It also needs no salt, remember, because of the saltiness of the nuts. Feel free to garnish with lemon slices or wedges, and a tuft of parsley for color, though the fish doesnt really need a squirt of lemon for taste.

Suggested Wine: A full-bodied white wine

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