This recipe comes from our friend Harrison Weinfeld aka The Sardinfluencer. He waxes poetic on it here:
"When you want fish sticks, but also the summery crunch of a bright green salad, make both. These lettuce cups showcase the delicious simplicity of lightly dusted dedos of black cod, fried until golden brown, nestled atop a healthy dollop of bright and zippy Cajun-inspired remoulade. In my humble opinion it’s a textural bliss that’ll send your tastebuds into the stratosphere. Easy. Fast. Stupendously flavorful. Make the sauce ahead of time to save on prep day of. Just be sure to hide it out of sight in the back of the fridge, otherwise you might be making it a second time."
INGREDIENTS
· 1 piece black cod (thawed under refrigeration)
· 5-10 choice pieces bibb, butter, or Boston lettuce (gently rinsed)
· 1 cup neutral oil for frying
· ¼ cup finely ground bread crumbs
· Kosher salt, to taste
· Flaky salt, for garnish
· Fresh tarragon, for garnish (rough chop)
· Fresh flat leaf parsley, for garnish (rough chop)
Remoulade
· ½ cup mayonnaise
· 2 tbsp course-grained mustard
· 1 tbsp horseradish (white, jarred is fine)
· 1 tbsp pickled peperoncini, minced (can sub capers or cornichons)
· 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, minced
· ½ tbsp fresh tarragon, minced
· 2 tsp Old Bay
· 1 tsp white sugar
· ½ tsp smoked paprika
· ½ tsp cayenne
· 1 small garlic clove, grated
· Zest of 1 lime
· Pinch kosher salt
1. Place all the remoulade ingredients in a small bowl and toss to combine. Cover and set aside in refrigerator to let flavors meld.
2. Dry the fish with a paper towel and carefully slice along the length of the fish into 4-5 fish-stick size pieces (about ½-3/4 inches thick). Very lightly season them with kosher salt.
3. Place the oil in a small sauce pot large enough to accommodate all the pieces of fish laying side by side. Turn the heat to medium high and monitor the temperature.
4. Meanwhile, place your fine breadcrumbs in a small bowl or plastic container. One by one, add the pieces of fish, shaking the bowl until well coated. Transfer to a dry cutting board and repeat until all the pieces are coated.
5. When the oil reaches a minimum temp of 325 degrees F (and maximum 350) carefully place each piece into the oil one by one. This is a shallow fry and the pieces will not be completely submerged. Once the bottom sides begin to take on a nice golden color, carefully flip with a fish spatula and repeat until both sides are golden. Remove the fish and allow to cool for five minutes on paper towels.
6. Prepare your platter or board for presenting the lettuce cups. Plate the pieces of lettuce first, and depending on size, double up if necessary. Spoon a generous amount of remoulade into each cup (1-2 tbsp) and once the fish is cool enough to handle with your fingers, carefully place a piece atop each. Dust with more fresh herbs and finish with flaky salt.
Serve immediately.
Serves 2-4
