As far as fish sandwiches go, this one is pretty classic. As I did my research for creating this recipe, I found that traditional crispy fried fish with slaw is really the way to go. It just works so well, don’t fix it if it’s not broken (I say that, but I will still try, sigh…life as a food blogger). If you’re not a huge fish fan, or eat a lot of it like I do, this sandwich is a great way to consume more fish without feeling like you are… it’s just a sandwich!
When creating this recipe, I wanted to find an alternative to deep frying the fish. It needed to be crispy and flavorful, but not an overload of fat and calories. I used cornmeal and a splash of olive oil to achieve the crispy coasting, and creole seasoning to add loads of flavor!
Usually when I make a slaw, I prefer a vinegar base. The creamy thing is just overdone when it comes to slaw, in my opinion. However, a little mayo on a sandwich is tasty. I found a 50/50 mix of vinegar and mayo provided the moisture and tanginess that I was looking for in a slaw for this sandwich.
The final ingredient that actually took the most time to figure out was the bread. All that delicious slaw tended to make a mess when you tried to eat the sandwich. I tried bread slices, hamburger buns, hoagie rolls, and even considered flat bread before I found that hot dog buns were the easiest. You can try this recipe with any fish you like. I used trout… Go figure. Enjoy!
- 1 TBS mayo
- 1 TBS cider vinegar
- 1 tsp whole grain mustard
- ½ tsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1½ cups sliced green cabbage
- 8 oz trout fillets, or fish of choice (4 small fillets)
- 1 tsp creole seasoning, such as Tony Chachere
- 2 TBS corn meal
- splash olive oil
- 4 whole wheat hot dog buns
- Red onion, diced, for garnish
- Combine all ingredients for the slaw, except for the cabbage, in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine. Stir in cabbage. Set aside.
- Depending on the size of your fish fillet, cut fish down to size to fit into a hot dog bun well. About 3x7 inches (my small trout fillets fit perfectly, and I did not cut them).
- Sprinkle creole seasoning evenly over trout. Coat with cornmeal on both sides of the fillets.
- Heat a heavy bottomed skillet (I prefer cast iron) with a splash of olive oil.
- Cook fish in preheated skillet for about 4 minutes per side, or until opaque and cooked through.
- Top each bun with a fillet, and evenly distribute slaw.
