Fish Sandwich with Outstanding Jerk Jicama Slaw from Jason Schaan

Fish sandwich with Jerk Jicama-Tomatillo Slaw

I receive daily emails from Tasting Table, a site I love, and this recipe was adapted from their sous chef series featuring Jason Schaan.  This slaw was so good, I ate it on everything in sight for a week solid.

Here is a recipe, slightly adapted again by me to include fresh tomatillos instead of the celery root, and to lightly fry the fish rather than grill it.  Other than these variations, the recipe is true to Jason Schaan’s.  I did use my own wonderful heirloom tomatoes and put the whole thing on a great pretzel roll from New French Bakery in Minnesota.  Add a Honey Weiss beer and you’re in heaven.

Fish Sandwich with Jerk Jicama-Tomatillo Slaw

Recipe adapted from Jason Schaan, Michy’s, Miami, FL

Fresh Tomatillos

Yield: 2 sandwiches (with extra slaw)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Jerk Aioli

• Scallions, 2 small (light green and white parts)
• Garlic, 1 small clove
• Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, ½ small chile
• Kosher salt, 1½ teaspoons
• Allspice (ground), 1½ teaspoons
• Light brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon
• Thyme leaves, ¾ teaspoon
• Nutmeg (ground), ¼ teaspoon
• Black pepper (ground), ¼ teaspoon
• Cinnamon (ground), ⅛ teaspoon
• Orange zest (finely grated), ⅛ teaspoon
• Ginger root (peeled and finely grated), a small pinch
• Mayonnaise, 1 cup

Slaw

• 

  Jerk Jicama-Tomatillo Slaw

  Jicama, 1 small (peeled, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds, stacked and sliced into thin matchsticks)

• 5 Tomatillos, chopped
• Granny Smith apples, 1½ (peeled, halved, cored, sliced into ⅛-inch-thick rounds, stacked and sliced into thin matchsticks)
• Lime, 1 (juiced)
• Cilantro leaves, ½ bunch (use flat leaf parsley if you don’t like cilantro)

Fish Sandwich

• Canola or vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• panko crumbs, small bowl
• Red snapper (or Tilapia), two 4-ounce fillets
• Pretzel Rolls from New French Bakery
• Heirloom tomato, 1 (sliced ¼ inch thick)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the blender or mini food processor, purée all jerk aioli ingredients until smooth
2. Using the rubber spatula, scrape into a medium bowl, cover and set aside.
3. In the large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the jicama, tomatillos, apples, lime juice, cilantro and 2 Tbsp. Jerk Aioli.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate (save the rest of the Jerk Aioli for another time).
5. Heat oil in skillet to smoking.
6. Cut the fish filets into sandwich size filets and dip first in beaten eggs and then in bowl of panko crumbs.
7. Lightly fry breaded fish in oil for 3-5 minutes, until just done.
8. Transfer the fish to a plate.
9. Spread (or slather) pretzel roll with jerk aioli from bowl.  Top rolls with slaw, tomatoes and fish.  Open Honey Weiss.

Trust me, this was great.  Thanks Tasting Table.