The Fishwich

I was reading one of several blogs that I follow and noticed a fish sandwich and WOW that was such a blast from the past! I knew instantly that was on the menu as quickly as possible.

I was not the normal kid who went to McDonalds and got the happy meal and was thrilled with the free toy. Sorry Dad, you were not going to get off that easy…NO, I was the kid who at the fish sandwich or as time went on the PLAIN cheeseburger before it was "make it your way" time. The poor guy had to stand there for 10 minutes while everyone else ate their meals while they "made" my fish sandwich (because I didn't like condiments…then). There are only two fish sandwiches that have rocked in my adult life. The first was a salmon sandwich I had in Alaska and the second is THIS cod sandwich. Two VERY different meals but the outcome was amazing. An honorable mention is the crab cake sammi at Cheesecake Factory but is that really a fish?

SO, when I saw this blog post I got really excited! Not to mention I have been baking my own bread lately and was ready to make some homemade rolls (that's another post). SO off to the store to pick up some white fish…

Now, for all you Bostonians get either haddock or scrod. All you west coasters, its all about the Cod. Basically any white flakey mild fish you can find would be good for this. Because the fish is delicate you should get a soft roll with a soft crust. Brioche would be fantastic.

You can make the batter, rolls and tarter sauce (if you make that homemade) several hours ahead of time. Unfortunately you need to fry and eat these babies up quickly. Since I only made these for myself and my husband I heated the oil in my wok. After you fry them put them on a cooling rack or something where air circulates around them. If you put it directly on a paper towel then the bottom will get soggy.

Sorry peeps, no pictures they were gone THAT fast! My husband keeps asking me when I will make them next…

Fishwich
1 lb white fish cut into 4 pieces to match your roll size (check for bones)
1 cup dark beer (I used Newcastle)
1 ½ t baking powder
1 cup flour
4 slices cheese (I used cheddar)
Sea salt
Pepper
Peanut oil

Combine flour, beer, baking powder, pinch of salt and pepper, blend (I used my immersion blender). Store in fridge until ready to fry fish)

Heat up oil, enough to immerse fish in. you want this to be a pan fry (not a sauté or a deep fry). 365 degrees

Dip fish in batter then fry in oil about 2 minutes on each side (depending on how thick the fish is)

Arrange sandwich: Roll bottom, cheese, fish, and tartar sauce, roll top -EAT!

How bout them wings!

So this past week I was in Boston visiting family and eating my way to oblivion. I just returned on Wednesday and I knew I would not have time Thursday to go food shopping. I needed to look to see what’s on hand. Low and behold a package of wings in the freezer! Thinking I might marinate them and grill them (it has been HOT here) that was quickly put aside when my husband got wind…at his request my buffalo wings needed to make an appearance. I have a Delonghi Deep Fryer. Its not too big and it really keeps the temperature nice. I am not savvy nor coordinated enough to do this in a big pot.

In order to do this for company… You can easily fry the wings the day before and heat them in a CONVECTION oven on a sheet pan and then toss with the sauce right before serving. I have done them this way and you really cannot tell the difference. The blue cheese dressing make ahead the day before for sure and please make sure you use a cheese that you would eat with a glass of wine. Same thing with the hot sauce, make sure to use your favorite. We are partial to Crystals cuz that’s what they serve down in New Orleans. I usually serve this with a simple salad if its just us and some killer beer.

A few tips on frying…rely on a thermometer for temperature. When adding wings, add them one at a time. IF you add them all at once the oil will bubble up and overflow and can be very dangerous. I usually cook my wings for 12-15 minutes depending on the size. The best way to know if they are done is there will be hardly any noise and bubbles in the oil and they kind of feel light and float on the top. Not to mention the beautiful golden color.



Buffalo Wings
• oil for deep frying (I prefer Peanut)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 1 dash garlic powder
• 1 dash onion powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 chicken wings

1. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees . The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep or to your deep fryers recommended setting.
2. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.
3. In a Ziploc bag mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in bag and shake until they are evenly coated. Refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.
4. Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Place wings in a bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together, making sure every wing is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Blue Cheese Dressing
• 2 1/2 ounces blue cheese crumbled
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, stir all ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
NOTE: if you don’t have buttermilk on hand (which I never do) mix together the vinegar and 3 T milk and let sit for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.