Sand Dabs Recipes

CALIFORNIA SAND DABS

Steps:

• Dip the sand dabs into the beaten egg;season with salt & pepper, roll in panko or bread crumbs.
• Heat a large skillet, add butter and fry until golden brown and crisp.
• Serve with lemon wedges or your favorite tarter sauce.

BROILED SAND DABS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat a broiler and set a cooking rack 3 to 4 inches below the broiler.
• Rinse the sand dab filets and pat them dry. Place them, skin-side-down, on a baking sheet. Dot the filets with butter and sprinkle them with salt.
• Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook until the fish flakes easily and starts to brown on top, about 4 minutes.
• Serve fish hot, with lemon wedges for spritzing.

PAN-FRIED SAND DABS

Steps:

• Beat milk and egg together in a bowl. Season flour with salt and pepper; dredge each fish fillet in flour mixture, then dip into the egg-milk mixture. Roll in bread crumbs until thoroughly coated.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook fillets in the hot oil until nicely golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately, accompanied with lemon wedges.

SAND DABS

Steps:

• Drizzle olive oil on each side of the fillets. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Put in broiler for 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Once cooked, squeeze lemon over, to taste.

SAND DABS

Steps:

• Coat the fillets on both sides with seasoned cracker meal. Heat about 4 to 6 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large shallow pan. Add sand dabs and fry over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove the filets with a spatula and place on a warmed serving platter.
• Use a little of the pan juices to pour over the fish. Keep them hot. Fry the remaining fillets, adding more oil if needed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and garnish with the parsley. Add lemon wedges and serve immediately.

SAND DABS MEUNIèRE

Steps:

• Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; roll in flour and fry in half the butter.
• When tender and nicely browned, transfer to a hot platter and keep hot.
• Add remaining butter to skillet and brown lightly; add lemon juice and parsley and pour over fish.
• Serve at once.

PAN-FRIED SAND DABS

Steps:

• Beat the milk and egg together in a bowl. Dredge each fish in the flour, then dip them into the egg-milk mixture then roll in the breadcrumbs until thoroughly coated. Heat the oil or butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook over a lively but not smoking hot fire for three to four minutes on a side until nicely golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately, accompanied with lemon wedges. If properly trimmed (see Sand Dabs under seafood info) the fish can quickly be de-boned at the table. Insert two forks beneath the upper filet and lift the entire filet away, leaving the bottom filet and the bones in place. Then, remove the skeleton, which will remain in one piece, from the bottom filet. Repeat for each fish.

DUKKAH-DUSTED SAND DABS

Steps:

• Have all of your ingredients ready by the stove. Heat a heavy cast-iron or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the fish fillets if desired. Place the dukkah on a baking sheet and lightly dredge the fish fillets in it. When the pan is very hot, add 1 tablespoon of the canola or grapeseed oil, and when it is rippling, just below smoking, add as many fish fillets as can comfortably fit into the pan without crowding it too much. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until browned, then turn over and cook another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes (depending on the size of the fish), or until the fish is nicely browned on both sides. Remove to a warm platter. Repeat with the next batch of fish, until all of it has been cooked. Douse with the lemon juice, sprinkle on the parsley and serve.

GRILLED DAB WITH GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Cut the frills away from the sides of the dabs using scissors. Lay the fish on a baking tray, dark skin up, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some sea salt. Place under a hot grill for 5 mins, until cooked through and the flesh comes away from the bone when prodded.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan until it starts to turn brown, then add the garlic and cook until it just starts to change colour. Remove the pan from the heat, add the lemon juice and parsley, stir together and set aside.
• Wilt the spinach in a hot pan with a splash of water, then divide between 2 plates. Place 2 dabs on top of the spinach on each plate, drizzle with the butter sauce and serve.