Growing up, Mom would make ham salad with the leftover ends of roasted ham. She would include mayo, whole grain mustard, green onion, and tangy dill relish. Whenever I have a taste of that tangy dill relish that comes from the grocery store, I am instantly transported to my childhood.
When it comes to fried fish, pickles or relish are a must in a tartar sauce, and so in that vein I took inspiration from my mom’s ham salad flavour components and added some fresh dill and lemon.
Corn flake crumbs have become my new go-to for breading fish; I love the colour and the flavour that the cereal crumb produces in the final product.
Here, on Prince Edward Island, we favour haddock for our fried fish, but feel free to use your favourite white-fish in this preparation.
Pan-Fried Haddock Burgers w/ Tangy Dill Tartar Sauce
Ingredients:
For the tartar sauce:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp minced onion
- ¼ cup tangy dill relish
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp chopped dill
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Stir all ingredients to combine and serve on the sandwich along with some shredded iceberg lettuce.
For the breaded haddock:
- 2 lbs haddock fillets, cut to fit bun
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups corn flake crumbs
- ½ tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil to pan-fry the fish
Method:
In a bowl wide enough to dip the fish into, crack and mix the eggs. On a plate, pour the crumbs and Old Bay Seasoning together and toss with your fingers to disperse the seasoning.
Preheat a large, heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat (cast iron is ideal).
When ready to start cooking, add just enough oil to thoroughly coat the bottom of the skillet.
Starting with the thickest pieces of fish, working one piece at a time, dip the fish in the egg, then corn flake crumbs; back in the egg and then back in the crumbs.
Put the twice-coated fillets in the hot pan and quickly repeat with remaining fillets.
Cook for 5 minutes; carefully flip and cook for 5 minutes more. Assemble sandwiches.
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Chef ILona Daniel is Harrowsmith's Food Editor and the founder of Tribe Fresh Events and Consulting, a purpose-driven insights consultancy accelerated by modern approaches to the hospitality industry, immersive experiences, and community and culture development. She has worked on projects around the world and is on the Board of Directors for the Tourism Association of PEI. Chef Ilona is a media personality, and a Culinary Instructor at the Culinary Institute of Canada.
