Beer-Battered Cod Sandwiches with Feels-Like-Home Tartar Sauce, Shut-the-Front-Door Onion Rings and Heath Bar Cookies

ARKANSAS VS. TEXAS A&M

 

Things change quickly, don't they?

 

Thing 1: I wasn't able to blog last week because of a business trip. Thing 2: I wasn't prepared for how long it would take me to recover from the minor surgery  (yeah, whatever) that I had a week ago. Thing 3: This is an interesting football season, no?

 

Essentially, the Razorback football season for me has reverted to a sense of these guys being family, and I'm watching out of love. I'm not watching because we are awesome, or because I think we can compete in the SEC this year, it's just simply down to the level of being a dance recital for my daughters, or my son's first  tee ball game, when that comes around. I care about these guys.

 

And in a sense, I feel good about that. I'd rather have a great team, but since I don't, I am moving the goalposts and finding new reasons to follow my Hogs.

 

It's an early game today so I should have gone with the breakfast game blog I have planned. Except I am not prepared for that, because I was laying on my back til yesterday. Luckily, my wife came along with this amazing meal a night or two back, and I was so smitten with it I got out my camera and started snapping shots. Instant food blog! So thank you Sarah for what we are all about to enjoy.

 

First-and-Ten: Beer-Battered Cod Sandwiches

 



OMG you can taste the crunch, can't you?



If you are thinking about that frozen beer-battered fish, stop that. This is the real thing. Genuine beer-battered fish like you would get in the Midwest and other places hits you like a swirling crunch vortex from hell. You simply aren't ready for the crisp, thick texture of this  batter and the meaty flavor of the fish underneath.If you make this recipe then this will probably how you will make your non-catfish, non-mullet fish the rest of your life.Thanks be to groupreceipes.com for this formulation.

2 pounds grouper, mahi mahi, cod, or halibut fillets (We used cod -- it is a great, meaty fish)

2 teaspoons Greek seasoning, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups cold beer (We used Miller Lite)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Vegetable oil or shortening (We used Crisco and it was unbelievable)

4 sesame seed hamburger buns

  

Not apologizing for this. Just glad to get this giant tub finished.

Cut fish into 3-inch strips. Divide the spices as I mention below here. Don't use all the spices at once!

Sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp. Greek seasoning, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, remaining 1 tsp. Greek seasoning, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper; stir well.

Add 2 cups cold beer and egg, stirring until thoroughly blended and smooth.Pour oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 375°.

Dip fish strips into batter, coating both sides well; shake off excess. Fry fish, in batches, 2 minutes on each side until golden (do not crowd pan we went for golden because we always want to be golden.) Drain on paper towels.

Spread top half of each bun evenly with tartar sauce. Place 1 lettuce leaf and 1 tomato slice on bottom half of each bun; top each with 2 fried fish strips and top halves of buns.Garnish the sandwich with some nice lettuce and possibly tomato.

This is the spent Crisco, having left everything it had on the field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rub-Down: Feels-like-Home Tarter Sauce

 

Food processor is best for tartar sauce.

Here's the deal: Sarah was supposed to fill in the recipe for this, but I found out there actually is no recipe at 4 a.m.as the baby was maniacally laughing in bed with us and swatting my head. He was all, "Ahahahah! There's no RECIPE!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA! So deadline is approaching and I am going with the rough concept here. I know what is in it. She can fix this later. :-)

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (and if I know Sarah, it is Blue Plate light)
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup capers
• 1/2 cup pickles (typically dill)
• 1 tbsp creole seasoning
• Coupla shots of Tabasco (No other hot sauce, please.)
• 1/8 cup white or yellow onion

Let it whir in the food processor a few seconds til it is the consistency you like. I like to see bumps. Let flavors blend a few minutes.

Sideline Route: Shut-The-Front Door Onion Rings

 

However good you think these beer-battered onion rings were, they were better than that.

 Ok this is simple. Make the beer batter in the last recipe. There will be a good amount of leftovers. Immediately use it to fry slices of onion. You have never had an onion ring this crunchy and perfect in your life. So much better than a breadcrumb coating or any other batter I had. Imagine a crunchy funnel cake with an onion inside. Now take an antacid.

 

Two-Minute Drill: Heath-Bar Cookies



Hi there. I'm chewy and crispy with a sinful hint of candy-bar essence. How you doin'?

These wonderful coolies come to us from The Southern Bite www.southernbite.com

The recipe makes 4 dozen and they really hold up well in the oven for a butter cookie. Nice even or slightly crowned tops and interesting cracks and ridges. I ate four of them as soon as they cooled for a few minutes, but the next morning I had another(and, at this writing, yet another) and was glad I had given some a chance to cool. I feel some kind of crunchy candy action going on inside there now that the melted Heath Bars have had a chance to cool. Either way, they are good. I would be tempted to experiment with a bigger cookie but I am not sure how that would work out. The recipe worked perfectly as designed.

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks) (Do not use margarine or shortening)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 Heath Bars, 1.4 oz each. (We used a bag of the mini bars)

Cream butter and sugar together until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl and gradually stir into butter/sugar mixture. Coarsely chop Heath Bars and add them to the dough. Spoon dough onto greased cookie sheet (or one lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper) in 1 tablespoon amounts. (We used a cookie sheet sprayed  with canola and it worked great) Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.(In our oven it was 9 minutes)  

Cooler Break: Beer
I mean, get real. What else do you drink with beer-battered fish? Take your pick. My pick, for today, is Michelob Ultra Lime Cactus, by the far the best lime-flavored light beer I have ever had, and with less calories than the usual light beer. Mmm, cactus.

Next week we will get back to normal around  here. I can't wait. Please share this with your friends, as the real fun for me is in watching new people visit!