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Fried Fish Sandwiches with Cucumbers and Tartar Sauce

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Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Chris Morocco

Frying at home is a drag, unless you happen to be outdoors, holding a beer, and not worrying about spills or smelling up the house.

Ingredients

4 servings

Tartar sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. sweet relish
1 Tbsp. chopped drained capers
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Kosher salt

鱼和组装:

2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup cornstarch, divided
5–6 mini seedless or Persian cucumbers
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
8 potato rolls
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 cup light beer
8 (4-oz.) pieces skinless, boneless firm whitefish fillets (3/4"–1" thick)
1/2 cup very coarsely chopped dill
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 6 cups)
Kosher salt
Lettuce leaves (for serving)

Special Equipment

A deep-fry thermometer
  1. Tartar Sauce

    Step 1

    Mix mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, relish, capers, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl to combine; season with salt.

  2. 鱼和组装:

    Step 2

    Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Whisk Old Bay seasoning, baking powder, cayenne, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup cornstarch in a medium bowl. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch in another medium bowl.

    Step 3

    Set a deep cast-iron skillet or large Dutch oven fitted with thermometer on grill; pour in oil to come 1" up sides. Heat until thermometer registers 375°F.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, thinly slice cucumbers lengthwise. Toss in a third medium bowl with vinegar and gently massage with your hands to soften them slightly. Let sit, tossing occasionally, at room temperature at least 10 minutes.

    Step 5

    Lightly brush insides of rolls with butter and grill just until toasted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate.

    Step 6

    Gently whisk egg and beer in a small bowl to combine, then gently whisk into Old Bay mixture in 3 additions. Working in 2 batches, season fish lightly with salt. Dredge in flour mixture, knocking off any excess, then dip into batter and lift up with a fork, letting excess drain off and wiping against side of bowl to eliminate any thick drips. (Batter should completely coat the fish without looking clumpy.)

    Step 7

    Carefully lower fish into oil and fry, turning halfway through, until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece registers 125°F–130°F, 7–9 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet.

    Step 8

    Drain most of vinegar from cucumbers and toss in dill. Build sandwiches with fried fish, cucumbers, lettuce, and tartar sauce.

  3. Do Ahead

    Step 9

    Cucumbers (without dill) can be pickled 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

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  • So delicious... and I am not a fryer so used minimum oil. Amended a few things, no beer so used white wine, excited to use 4 things from my veg trug. Will be making this again.

    • stephani7

    • Athens GA

    • 5/5/2019

  • I decided to give this recipe a try, despite the reviews (?) of people who haven’t tried it. I made the tartar sauce and reduced the lemon zest to a teaspoon or so. Just added what I felt was needed. I loved the flavors. Fried the fish on the gas stove. Didn’t bother with the grill. This is a good fish sandwich.

    • lorenzana

    • 4/30/2019

  • 1/4 cup lemon zest ???

    • ejsevilla

    • Earth

    • 4/30/2019

  • Yeah, the shallow cast iron pan over a gas grill flame not recommended. Something higher sided, maybe, if your confident and staying close. To the question about whitefish, ANY. Seriously. Haddock, Cod, bass, etc etc. Most just have a faint flavor as it is, so they all fall into the same profile and cook times. The exception would be a thick catfish filet, that you could use, just add a few minutes cook time. Undercooked catfish is no bueno, even slightly I bring my induction plate to the deck to cook fish year round as it is, so...that is the most controlled heating element to recommend and keeps the odors from accumulating inside. Fish does have some moisture so be wary with oil level height to wall height of cooking receptacle. There is the inevitable surge of moisture vs. Heat that causes a pretty good reaction if you arent that familiar with.

    • eaterofbirds

    • Southern NH

    • 4/29/2019

  • Which "whitefish" do people with experience at frying fish recommend?

    • karenmnevins574

    • 4/29/2019

  • Not a review, but a caution. Frying in oil over a large open grill seems like a fire disaster waiting to happen. One splash onto the coals/burners and you have an instant inferno! Think I will take my deep fryer to the patio instead!

    • Clarklwd

    • Centerville, OH

    • 4/29/2019

  • To the “reviewer” who gave the recipe 1 fork without cooking it, the calorie count is for the recipe, not per sandwich. Simple math. While I wouldn’t eat a 1200 calorie sandwich often, I would splurge and work it off, or happily skip the bun.

    • Anonymous

    • Los Angeles

    • 4/28/2019

  • I wonder if the nutritional information may be a teensy bit off... 5,116 calories? For fried fish? I like the sound of the recipe, the ingredients are good - and it seems to have 237% of my daily fiber!

    • jenncola

    • Chicago, IL

    • 1/3/2019

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