The blackening method
of cooking fish (or chicken) adds smoky depth to the meat with aromatic
seasoning, including plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Quick cooking in a
hot pan with a little oil sears the outside with robust flavor, while keeping the
inside moist and tender.
Instead of cabbage, for
this recipe I used radicchio—a peppery flavored variety of chicory—to make a
simple, fresh slaw for the sandwiches. Its deep reddish-purple head resembles
purple cabbage but its taste is reminiscent of hearty greens.
And instead of mayo
alone, kick it up a little with chipotle chile and adobo sauce—one of the
easiest (and tastiest) sandwich spreads you can make in less than a minute.
2 servings
Ingredients
For the Slaw
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup thinly sliced radicchio
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced green bell pepper
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
Prepared Slaw Ingredients |
For the Sandwiches
- 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
- 1 small chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 1 tsp adobo sauce
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chile powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- sea salt
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 5-oz skinless cod filets, about 1/3-inch thick
- 2 sandwich rolls, halved and lightly toasted
Preparation
For the Slaw
- Combine the vinegar, oil, and mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the radicchio, bell pepper, cilantro, and scallion in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Let stand while the fish cooks.
Ready for Dressing |
Dressed Slaw |
For the Sandwiches
- Combine the mayonnaise, chipotle chile, and adobo sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the black pepper, chile powder, and cumin in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the fish, coating both sides well and pressing to adhere.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brush with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Season the fish with salt and sear until beginning to blacken on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium if the spices begin to burn.
- Turn and sear the other side until blackened and the fish is just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer, depending on thickness.
Chipotle Mayo |
Blackening Spices |
Seasoned Fish |
Beginning to Cook |
Mayo Spread |
To
serve, spread the chipotle-mayo sauce on all 4 cut sides of the rolls and lay a
filet on each bottom half. Mound the slaw on top of the fish and cover with the
top halves. Serve right away.
Blackened Cod Sandwiches with Radicchio Slaw |
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