ON THE COVER
Recipe, photography and styling Sarah Tuck Salty Sea Dogs,
If you (like me) love a good old package of paper-wrapped fish
and chips, I know you’re going to devour these.
FISH
²/₃ cup plain flour 2 cups panko breadcrumbs 2 eggs, whisked
850 grams firm white fish, cut into roughly 12cm x 4cm pieces
1/4 cup high smoke point cooking oil (such as rice bran oil)
TARTARE-STYLE MAYO
11/2 cups good-quality mayonnaise (I use Best Foods)
finely grated zest 1 lemon 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 large gherkins, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped capers
1 teaspoon mild American mustard
SLAW
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon good-quality mayonnaise (I use Best Foods)
1 teaspoon sugar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 large cabbage (or 1/2 an iceberg lettuce), thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, halved, thinly sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
TO SERVE
6 hot dog rolls, split halfway through
1 cup watercress or rocket
For the fish, mix the flour and panko crumbs in a shallow dish. Put the eggs in a second shallow dish. Dip the fish pieces into the egg, then coat well in the crumb mixture. Lay in a single layer on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 hours in advance.
For the tartare-style mayo, mix all the ingredients together and keep in a sealed container in the fridge. This can be prepared the day before.
For the slaw, whisk the oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the shredded vegetables and toss to combine.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and put in the rolls to warm for 2–3 minutes. Heat half of the cooking oil in a large frying pan and cook the fish in batches (add the remaining oil for the second batch) over a medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels while heating the rolls.
Either invite guests to construct their own, or plate up the ‘dogs’. Spoon 2 tablespoons of mayo onto each roll, top with fish, watercress and slaw. Top with a little more mayo to serve.
MAKES 6