A Lenten meal kids will love

Religious Christians make the commitment to avoid meat on Friday for the duration of Lent, signifying a sacrifice that recalls the ultimate sacrifice Jesus Christ made during his crucifixion. 

Vegetables and pasta dishes are a staple of the Lenten season, and seafood also serves as a popular substitute for meat and poultry. As parents of picky eaters can attest, though, encouraging children to dig into a seafood meal can be a struggle. However, fish sticks can make a fish dinner more attractive to youngsters. You don’t need to buy the frozen variety at the store — this recipe for fish sticks with fries and tartar sauce from “Danielle Walker’s Eat What You Love” is a crunchy, homemade alternative.

Fish sticks with fries and tartar sauce

Makes 12

Tartar sauce

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon minced cornichons (gherkin pickles)

1 tablespoon chopped capers

1 teaspoon champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon coarse-grain mustard

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fries

1 large parsnip, peeled

1 white-fleshed sweet potato (such as Hannah), scrubbed but unpeeled

3 tablespoons avocado oil

Kosher salt

Fish sticks

1 pound haddock or cod fillets

4 ounces plantain chips

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 egg whites, beaten until frothy

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

To make the tartar sauce, mix the mayonnaise, cornichons, capers, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, parsley and pepper in a small bowl. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the fries and fish sticks, or for up to three days.

To make the fries, cut the parsnip and sweet potato into matchstick-size pieces. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the oil. Spread in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until browned (about 20 minutes), turning once.

To make the fish sticks, cut the haddock into 3-inch strips. Place a wire rack on top of a clean kitchen towel and brush the rack lightly with avocado oil.

In a food processor, or using a mortar and pestle, pulse the plantain chips a few times until they resemble coarse sand. Pour the ground chips into a shallow bowl and combine with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites and mustard.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season generously with 3⁄4 teaspoon sea salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. One at a time, dip the fish strips into the egg mixture and shake gently, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, then dip the fish into the plantain chip mixture, turning to coat each strip and shaking off any excess. Place the fish strips on the prepared wire rack.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and move the fries over to one side. Position the rack with the fish sticks on top of the baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake the fish and fries together for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish is crisp and cooked through. Season the fries generously with kosher salt. Serve immediately with tartar sauce on the side.