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Fried Fish Sandwich
![Fried Fish Sandwich](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/04/15/dining/sl-fried-fish-sandwich/merlin_186367122_3dd99025-7f64-4d30-8e23-fc710757a936-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- ½cup mayonnaise
- ¼cup bread and butter pickle chips, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon pickle brine
- 1small shallot, finely chopped
- 2tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
- 2tablespoons (drained) capers, coarsely chopped
- 1teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- Kosher salt
- 1cup vegetable oil
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- 2large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2cups panko bread crumbs
- 4flounder fillets (about 1 pound), halved crosswise
- Kosher salt
- 4soft white buns
- 4slices American cheese or Cheddar
For the Tartar Sauce
For the Fried Fish
For Assembly
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the tartar sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, pickles and pickle brine, shallot, dill, capers and soy sauce. Season with salt to taste and set aside. (Makes ¾ cup.)
- Step 2
Prepare the fried fish: Heat oil in a large, straight-sided skillet over medium. Place flour, eggs and panko in 3 separate medium shallow bowls. Season flounder on both sides with salt and dredge in flour, dusting off excess, then transfer to egg wash, allow excess to drip off, then coat with panko.
- Step 3
Working in batches, fry about 4 breaded fillets at a time until golden brown and cooked through, about 1½ minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and season with salt. Repeat with remaining fish.
- Step 4
Assemble the sandwiches: Spread tartar sauce on both sides of each bun. Place 1 piece of fried fish on each bottom bun, then add a slice of cheese on top and another piece of fish on the cheese. The residual heat from the fish will help melt the cheese. Sandwich together and serve immediately.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
My Aunt & Uncle owned a fish store in Brooklyn and only sold the freshest fish. My Dad helped out on busy Thursday and Friday (Catholics). Ever Friday my Mom fried fish so light that it floated. But my best treat was on Saturday morning; Leftover fillet of flounder straight from the fridge on Wonder Bread with my homemade tarter sauce (Hellmann's Mayo and sweet pickle relish)
This too, was my favorite when my family first visited our first local McDonalds in central Pennsylvania in 1970, when I was 12. And I have never ordered anything else. But the most perfect fish-o-lay in central PA is the fish sandwich at the Fence drive-in 50s-style outdoor restaurant in Milton PA. Picnic tables on the banks of the Susquehanna River. Or they will serve you in your car via a tray hooked to the driver's side. I promise you it is worth the drive. http://fencedrivein.com
While I was working in Japan on assignment, almost every morning I went to a McDonalds at the train station for a fillet-o-fish for breakfast just like all the Japanese school children. It was a huge favorite in Japan. I swear the quality of the fof sandwiches in Japan was head and shoulders above those in the US.
Just a quick note about fish choices: Pollock seems available everywhere and Americans seem woefully ignorant of the the fact that our consumption of Pollock is causing Northern seal population to crash because for them Pollock contains three times the nutrition that any other local fish can provide. The seals are starving even as they work harder, swim farther and eat more of other fish to try get the nutrition they require to live and reproduce. Please, please don't eat Pollock.
Made this tonight and we are fans! The fish was tasty in itself (we used haddock) and could be tasted apart from the tartar sauce. The tartar sauce is worth the price of the recipe in itself...I'll never use store-bought again! Great job, NYT Cooking!
Delicious! The only thing I would add is to toast the buns on the cooktop in a pan with a little butter.
A classic recipe but please be sure to remove the tiny, sharp bones that flounder filets can be prone to. Run your hand lightly over the filet—you can feel them and remove them.
This might be all too telling about the current state of my cooking/life, but I made this yesterday and it is probably the BEST thing I have eaten in months. I made it pretty much as suggested, with the only exception being substitutions I made with the tartar sauce due to what I had on hand: dill pickle instead of bread and butter, purple onion instead of shallot, dried dill instead of fresh, and I forgot the soy sauce. And.....hurray for that American cheese. A guilty pleasure.
The recipe currently reads "Spread tartar sauce on both sides of each bun." I'm assuming they meant "Spread tartar sauce on the inner face of each bun," or else this is gonna be a very messy sandwich, LOL!
Made this tonight, exactly as written, when big plans for a complicated recipe collided with the reality of a long work day. Really tasty, crisp on the outside and moist on the inside --- I think it's the best fish sandwich I've ever made. Super easy and fast, served with homemade oven fries and simple green salad. It's definitely going in the rotation --- maybe next time with coleslaw and pickles, or banh mi style with julienned carrots, cucumbers and spicy radishes. Five stars for sure.
My dad also owned a fish shop - in San Diego -and he'd never allow fish sticks in the house or let us order a Fillet o Fish. But, about every two months or so, I'd be allowed to eat at the school cafeteria when they had fish sticks. If you've grown up with swordfish, flounder, wild salmon, abalone and the like, fish fingers tasted like the most amazing food.
I have NEVER posted a comment about any recipe/restaurant/vacation/etc.... this recipe has pushed me into that space... followed the recipe exactly (which I rarely do), and it was AMAZING! Filet-O-Fish - step aside... you will always have a special place in my heart, but THIS fish sandwich has the same flavors, but so much fresher and the tartar sauce is simply delicious...
Yes, just as it says. Flounder (and sole) are so thin, they cook in almost no time. As long as you have the oil hot enough, so the breading doesn't absorb any oil, that should do it. Cook it much longer, and the fish will be dry.
Made it last night. I used halibut fillet approximately 1/2 inch thick. Put two 3 ounces pieces on brioche rolls. I prepared the tartar space just as indicated in the recipe. This is the best fish sandwich ever! Simple, quick to prepare and delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Delish. Note to self: next time, make three times as much tartar sauce.
We love, love, love this recipe and I've shared it friends too - everyone loves it! I use petrale sole filets and toast the sesame seed hamburger buns on the toaster's bagel setting before spreading them with the delicious tartar sauce - delish and easy! Serve with homemade French fries or potato chips.
this is great! it elevates that fast-food fish sandwich to heaven! use good buns and do not toast or warm. do not add anything else like lettuce or tomato. just the way the recipe is written is perfect!
I find myself making this recipe as much for the tartar sauce as for the fish! Deeeelish!!!
Best tartar sauce I've ever tasted!
This is a perfect fish sandwich. All that’s missing is the beach.
I followed the recipe exactly as written. I used flounder and red snapper fillet. All turned out wonderful!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! We were able to find cod that was good and reasonably priced so used that. Also used buttermilk instead of egg to coat the fish in order to accommodate an egg allergy and it worked great— the fish was super crispy. Would definitely make again!
Never a big fan of fish sandwiches before trying this recipe and now I’m hooked (pun fully intended). First batch used flash frozen sole fillets. Second batch was next level using fresh pacific sole — I’ll never use frozen fillets again. Texture is so much better with fresh, of course. My one cheat is to use store bought tartar sauce zhuzhed up with a bit of soy for umami. Don’t get fancy and use anything but American cheese singles. It’s on repeat in our house along with visits to treadmill!
Best tartar sauce ever!! I won't make any other from now on!
Doubled, used haddock, and made as is, otherwise. Used kitchen shears to cut up fish which made all steps easier. Used a round frying pan and kept cooked pieces on a cookie sheet/parchment in 300 F oven. This kept things warm and crisp as I fried up the rest. Served on Brioche rolls, with slaw on the side and an embarrassment of condiments. Five stars! A beautiful way to open camp in Downeast Maine!
Superb! These came out perfectly, I would not change a thing. Five stars! Thank you!
being a proud minnesotan i used our official state fish the walleye and oh man! was it good. also pepper jack because American cheese just isn't on my radar. we loved this.
My local Safeway didn't have flounder, so I opted for talapia. Besides that, made as directed and my non-fish-loving husband was sold! The sauce was amazing!
I can’t wait to make these after reading the reviews but I don’t understand where the pickle brine comes from? Are those potatoes chips we are chopping?
Pickle chips, not potato.
Pickle chips
Good yes! Faster than McDonalds?
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