Fish Sandwich with From-Scratch Tartar Sauce
Fish Sandwich with From-Scratch Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
For the From-Scratch Tartar Sauce
- 1 lemon, zested, to yield 2 tablespoons juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated shallot
- 1 pinch kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 pasteurized egg, room temperature
- 1 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup sweet gherkins, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
For the Fried Fish
- 4 wild haddock, halibut, or cod fillets, cut to fit burger buns
- as needed kosher salt
- as needed oil, with a neutral flavor and high smoke point, for frying
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 cups sparkling water
For Assembly
- 4 brioche burger buns, toasted, if desired
- 4 lettuce leaves
- as needed lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Into a clean jar, zest one lemon. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice from the zested lemon, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of freshly grated shallot to the jar. Add a pinch of kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Carefully crack one room temperature pasteurized egg into the jar, ensuring the yolk remains intact. Pour 1 cup of avocado oil into the jar, being careful not to break the egg yolk.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Place an immersion blender into the jar, ensuring it covers the egg yolk. Blend on high speed without moving the blender until the mixture emulsifies and thickens into mayonnaise (approximately 30 seconds). Once emulsified, slowly move the immersion blender up and down to aerate the mayonnaise.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add 1/4 cup of chopped sweet gherkins, 2 tablespoons of rinsed and chopped capers, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill, and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives to the mayonnaise. Add another pinch of kosher salt. Stir all ingredients together until well combined. Set aside the tartar sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Cut the fish fillets into pieces that will fit the bottom of a burger bun. Place the fish pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Season both sides generously with kosher salt. Let the fish sit for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
In a large pot or Dutch oven, pour in enough neutral-flavored, high smoke point oil for deep frying. Heat the oil to 375°F.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375
- 7
While the oil heats, prepare the batter. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 teaspoons garlic powder, 3 teaspoons onion powder, and 3 teaspoons paprika. Season generously with kosher salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of sparkling water until the batter is smooth. The consistency should be thick but pourable. Set the batter aside to fully hydrate.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
After 20 minutes, pat the fish fillets really dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Dip each fish fillet into the prepared batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Allow any excess batter to drip off.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Carefully place the battered fish into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. Fry the fish for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the fried fish from the oil and place it back on the wire rack over the baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle the hot fried fish generously with kosher salt. Repeat with remaining fish.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
Toast the brioche burger buns if desired. Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom half of each bun. Top the lettuce with a fried fish fillet. Spoon a generous amount of the homemade tartar sauce over the fish. Place the top half of the bun on top to complete the fish sandwich. Serve immediately, optionally with lemon wedges.
⏱️ 4 min
Kitchen Tools
Fish Sandwich with From-Scratch Tartar Sauce
For the From-Scratch Tartar Sauce
- 1 lemon, zested, to yield 2 tablespoons juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated shallot
- 1 pinch kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 pasteurized egg, room temperature
- 1 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup sweet gherkins, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
For the Fried Fish
- 4 wild haddock, halibut, or cod fillets, cut to fit burger buns
- as needed kosher salt
- as needed oil, with a neutral flavor and high smoke point, for frying
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 cups sparkling water
For Assembly
- 4 brioche burger buns, toasted, if desired
- 4 lettuce leaves
- as needed lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Into a clean jar, zest one lemon. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice from the zested lemon, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of freshly grated shallot to the jar. Add a pinch of kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Carefully crack one room temperature pasteurized egg into the jar, ensuring the yolk remains intact. Pour 1 cup of avocado oil into the jar, being careful not to break the egg yolk.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Place an immersion blender into the jar, ensuring it covers the egg yolk. Blend on high speed without moving the blender until the mixture emulsifies and thickens into mayonnaise (approximately 30 seconds). Once emulsified, slowly move the immersion blender up and down to aerate the mayonnaise.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add 1/4 cup of chopped sweet gherkins, 2 tablespoons of rinsed and chopped capers, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill, and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives to the mayonnaise. Add another pinch of kosher salt. Stir all ingredients together until well combined. Set aside the tartar sauce.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Cut the fish fillets into pieces that will fit the bottom of a burger bun. Place the fish pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Season both sides generously with kosher salt. Let the fish sit for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
In a large pot or Dutch oven, pour in enough neutral-flavored, high smoke point oil for deep frying. Heat the oil to 375°F.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375 - 7
While the oil heats, prepare the batter. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 teaspoons garlic powder, 3 teaspoons onion powder, and 3 teaspoons paprika. Season generously with kosher salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of sparkling water until the batter is smooth. The consistency should be thick but pourable. Set the batter aside to fully hydrate.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
After 20 minutes, pat the fish fillets really dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Dip each fish fillet into the prepared batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Allow any excess batter to drip off.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Carefully place the battered fish into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. Fry the fish for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove the fried fish from the oil and place it back on the wire rack over the baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle the hot fried fish generously with kosher salt. Repeat with remaining fish.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
Toast the brioche burger buns if desired. Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom half of each bun. Top the lettuce with a fried fish fillet. Spoon a generous amount of the homemade tartar sauce over the fish. Place the top half of the bun on top to complete the fish sandwich. Serve immediately, optionally with lemon wedges.
⏱️ 4 min