Advice on Pepita substitute Please!!!!

[lisa sleighj]

Please help! My husband has just invited the French office for dinner at our house after bragging about my cooking skills. Alas, after living in France for 2 months, I've realised that I'm not as good as he thinks!! And the people he has invited are the epitamy of gourmands...

I have just moved to a small town oustide Paris, France and can't find pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) for a main dish.

Any advice on a nut that I can substitute??? The recipe is as follows:

banana chips
chili flakes
brown sugar
salt
Pepitas or other nut

milk and egg for double was
seasoned flour for breading
large flake dense white fish fillet.

I toast the pepitas (or other nut) and chop them along with the banana chips in a food processor. Then add sugar, salt and chili flakes to taste making sure that you add more salt and sugar than you need as the flavours mellow considerably during cooking.

Then dip fish in milk, flour, egg wash and then banana chip/pepita mixture and fry on one side for 10 minutes. Have oven heated to 350c and bake for 10-12 minutes until fully cooked.

Serve with spicy fruit salsa.

All advice appreciated!!

Merci Beaucoup and Bientot!

Lisa

[SandyM]

Hi Lisa,

Found this on www.foodsubs.com -

pumpkin seeds Notes: Pumpkin seeds are terrific snacks. Unlike sunflower seeds, they're usually eaten whole, though hulled pumpkin seeds, called pepitas, are commonly used in Mexican dishes. To roast fresh pumpkin seeds, wash them and blot them dry, then toss them with salt and melted butter or margarine and bake on a cookie sheet in a 325° oven for about 15 minutes. To dry fresh seeds, wash and blot them dry as before, but bake them in a warm (150°) oven for 1 to 2 hours. Substitutes: squash seeds OR sesame seeds OR sunflower seeds

[jphilg]

I'd use sesame seeds, too....similar texture even though they are samaller and less rich.

Sounds like an interesting recipe....

Jen

[wallycat]

Near Paris....sorry...I'm swooooooooning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was going to suggest sunflower seeds....but now I think, this sounds like a crust for coating....I'd consider hazelnuts...very popular in mediterranean to use crushed hazelnuts.....

OK, i'll stop sobbing now....have fun in france...it's amazing.....