• Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel—this helps the coating stick better. Sprinkle a bit of salt over each piece and pepper.
  4 white fish fillets
• In a shallow dish, mix cornmeal, a little flour, salt, and black pepper. Press each fillet firmly into the mixture, coating both sides evenly. Shake off any extra. No need for egg or milk here—the cornmeal clings just fine on its own, but you could do a double coat (with a dip in egg or buttermilk) if you want a thicker crust.
  ½ cup coarse cornmeal , 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
• Heat some oil in a large pan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the fish fillets, skin-side down if they have skin. Fry them for a few minutes per side, or until they’re golden and crispy. Work in batches if needed so the pan’s not overcrowded. Once they’re done, transfer to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain any extra oil. A squeeze of lemon while they’re still hot adds a nice touch.
  ¼ cup sunflower oil

Make the garlic mayo

• Peel and mince or grate the garlic cloves. In a small bowl, start mixing the garlic with the sunflower oil, adding the oil slowly, a little at a time. Alternate with splashes of apple vinegar until it starts to come together like a mayo. Pop it in the fridge to rest while you cook everything else.
  5 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoon sunflower oil, 2 teaspoon apple vinegar
• Spoon creamy polenta without milk onto each plate, top with a crispy piece of fish, and finish with a dollop of garlic mayo (mujdei) if you're going the Romanian way. Serve it right away while it’s all hot and crunchy.