Fried Whole Fish Recipes

FRIED WHOLE FISH, CHIPOTLE SAUCE, RICE, AND MEXICAN SLAW

Steps:

• For the fish: Combine garlic, salt and 1 gallon water in a pot. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Pour the brine in a container to cool it down to room temperature, then add fish. Let the fish soak in the brine, refrigerated, for 24 hours.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 325 degrees F. Fry fish until cooked through, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Let fish rest for a couple of minutes, then place on a plate. Serve with Chipotle Sauce, Mexican Slaw and rice.
• Add butter to a large pot over high heat, then add onion, adobo puree, cilantro, jalapeno and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, then add lobster broth and ketchup. Lower to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
• Toss red and white cabbage, onion and cilantro in a bowl and add lime juice, olive oil and salt to taste.

PAN FRIED FISH

Steps:

• Heat a heavy pan over medium high heat.
• Season fish on meat side with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge fish in flour and shake off excess. When pan is good and hot, add Canola oil followed immediately by 1 tablespoon butter. As soon as foaming subsides, place fish in pan with the skin side down. Jiggle pan for the first 10 seconds to keep the fish from sticking. Cook until golden crust forms on meat. Carefully turn fish away from you and again jiggle pan for the first few seconds. Cook until skin turns golden brown. Remove to a warm plate.
• Pour out the cooking fat, add remaining butter and quickly fry the capers. Remove pan from the heat, add lemon juice to pan and swirl. Pour sauce over the fish and serve.

FRIED WHOLE FISH WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim cilantro at the point where it becomes more stem-y than leafy; set leaves with tender stems aside for serving. Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup worth of stems and place in a blender along with tomatillos, pickled jalapeños, and pickling liquid. Purée until smooth; taste and season sauce with salt and more pickling liquid if desired.
• Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Transfer fish to a cutting board and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife, make slashes crosswise on a diagonal along the body of the fish every 2" on both sides, cutting all the way down to the bone. Season fish generously inside and out with salt.
• When the oil is hot-it should be shimmering, and when you drop a small piece of tortilla into the oil it should begin sizzling immediately-grip the fish firmly by the tail and carefully lower, head first, into skillet, making sure to lay it down away from you. (If the tail sticks out of the pan a bit, it's not a huge deal.) Fry until flesh on bottom side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. While the fish is frying, use a metal spoon to baste the inside of the fish's head with a bit of hot oil periodically. Use tongs and a fish spatula to carefully turn fish over. Fry until flesh on second side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and season both sides with more salt.
• Pour tomatillo sauce onto a rimmed platter and gently place fish on top. Tuck reserved cilantro into the cavity between the fish's head and body and around the fish. Serve with tortillas.