let’s make something Naughty
Crispy, Beer Battered Fish Sandwich
make me
Ingredients
Serving Size: 4 sandwiches
Old Bay Cream Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1½ teaspoons agave
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crispy Fish
Canola oil, for frying
4 (4 to 6 ounce) thick cod fillets
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 large egg
1 (12 ounce) cold pilsner or other light beer
Sandwiches
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 brioche buns, split
4 slices of cheddar cheese (optional)
handful of butter lettuce (or can use shredded iceberg lettuce)
1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
⅓ cup bread and butter pickle slices
Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Make the Old Bay Cream Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, parsley, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce, lemon juice, and agave until smooth. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Refrigerate while you prepare the fish.
Heat the oil: Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with about 2 inches of canola oil and heat to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and place it next to the stove.
Prepare the fish: Pat the cod fillets completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, egg, and cold beer until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining. Season the batter with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
Fry the fish: Working with two fillets at a time, dip the fish into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Transfer to the prepared wire rack and immediately sprinkle with a little more kosher salt. Allow the oil to return to 375°F before frying the remaining fillets. Add the slices of cheese to each fried fish filet and broil in oven on high until melted.
Toast the buns: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the cut sides of the brioche buns until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Assemble the sandwiches: Spread a generous layer of Old Bay Cream Sauce on the bottom half of each bun. Top with a crispy cod fillet, lettuce, tomato slices, and bread and butter pickles. Spread more Old Bay Cream Sauce on the top bun and close the sandwich.
Serve: Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the fish and extra Old Bay Cream Sauce on the side, if desired.
Living in Miami, this is exactly what I crave after a day at the beach. Flaky white fish wrapped in an impossibly light, crispy beer batter, piled onto a buttery toasted brioche bun, and finished with a generous slather of creamy Old Bay Sauce. Fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, and sweet bread and butter pickles add the perfect crunch, making this the ultimate seaside sandwich.
fish, mains, sandwiches, old bay
