Pizza & Sandwiches
Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce
Description
Fresh fillets of haddock are coated with smoky paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme before they get a quick sear to develop a delicious crust. They are then sandwiched between toasted brioche buns smeared with a strong, tangy tartar sauce laced with refreshingly piquant horseradish. If your fish fillets are thicker than 3/4 inch, butterfly them by carefully cutting through the center of the fillet (parallel to the work surface), leaving 1/2 inch of the meat attached at the side so it can be opened like a book.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons minced shallot (from 1 medium shallot)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 ½ tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced cornichons (about 4 small cornichons)
- 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Sandwiches
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 (4- to 5-ounce) skinless haddock fillets (about 3/4 inch thick)
- ¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 brioche hamburger buns, split
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Butter lettuce leaves, for serving
Directions
- Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, shallot, parsley, horseradish, lemon juice, cornichons, capers, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the sandwiches:
- Stir together paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish fillets. Set aside.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Spread 1 teaspoon butter over cut side of each bun half. Place buns, buttered side down, in hot skillet; cook until well toasted and browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to a work surface. Do not wipe skillet clean.
- Add oil and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet; cook over high until butter is melted. Add fish fillets; cook until blackened on bottoms, about 3 minutes. Flip fillets; cook until blackened on other sides and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer fish to a plate.
- Spread 1 tablespoon tartar sauce over toasted side of each bun half. Arrange fish and lettuce evenly on bottom bun halves. Cover with top bun halves, toasted side down. Serve alongside remaining 1/2 cup tartar sauce at the table.
