When I pick up fresh fish fillets, I’m inclined to use them in fish tacos. I’m a slave to the trend, I know, but I love the medley of crispy-on-the-outside fillets with creamy tartar sauce, buttery avocado, a hint of lime and crunchy cabbage tucked in a corn tortilla. It makes my mouth water thinking about it.
But this weekend, after picking up some fresh flounder fillets at Tony’s Seafood in Baton Rouge, I went retro and made old-school fish sandwiches. Tony’s will fillet a fresh Gulf flounder (or any other fish) from its fish counter on the spot, but it usually has fillets ready for purchase as well.
I took the fillets home, dipped them in a wet batter of milk and eggs, then dredged them in my all-time favorite dry batter of cornmeal, panko and herbs. I pan-fried them in a non-stick skillet in olive oil until golden brown then served them with Sriracha-spiked tartar sauce, fresh shredded cabbage, sliced onion and pickles. My choice of bread was nothing fancy—just a plain ol’ squishy white bun because, to me, this is a dish that screams seafood-stand simplicity.
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The flounder was perfectly tender, mild and sweet. There were a few pin bones present, so be sure to feel the fillets carefully and extract them before frying.
Here’s how to prepare this cozy dish.
Fried Gulf flounder sandwiches
Serves 4
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1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper (several turns of it)
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Four 4-6 ounce fresh flounder fillets
1/4 cup olive oil
4 white hamburger buns, or bread of your choice
Tartar sauce, Sriracha, sliced onions, pickles or other condiments of your choice
Combine the milk and eggs in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Combine the panko, cornmeal, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder and cayenne pepper in another pie plate. Add oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat to medium high. Dredge the fish in the wet batter, then in the dry batter until evenly coated. Fry the fish for about 2 minutes on each side, until flaky and translucent. Allow to cool on a paper towel or rack before assembling sandwiches.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at [email protected].