Fried Whole Fish With Tomatillo Sauce Recipes

FRIED WHOLE FISH WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim cilantro at the point where it becomes more stem-y than leafy; set leaves with tender stems aside for serving. Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup worth of stems and place in a blender along with tomatillos, pickled jalapeños, and pickling liquid. Purée until smooth; taste and season sauce with salt and more pickling liquid if desired.
• Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Transfer fish to a cutting board and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife, make slashes crosswise on a diagonal along the body of the fish every 2" on both sides, cutting all the way down to the bone. Season fish generously inside and out with salt.
• When the oil is hot-it should be shimmering, and when you drop a small piece of tortilla into the oil it should begin sizzling immediately-grip the fish firmly by the tail and carefully lower, head first, into skillet, making sure to lay it down away from you. (If the tail sticks out of the pan a bit, it's not a huge deal.) Fry until flesh on bottom side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. While the fish is frying, use a metal spoon to baste the inside of the fish's head with a bit of hot oil periodically. Use tongs and a fish spatula to carefully turn fish over. Fry until flesh on second side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and season both sides with more salt.
• Pour tomatillo sauce onto a rimmed platter and gently place fish on top. Tuck reserved cilantro into the cavity between the fish's head and body and around the fish. Serve with tortillas.

FRIED OR GRILLED FISH WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• dip fish fillets (or chicken) in beaten egg and roll in Panko and seasoning pressing the panko into the fillets.
• fry till crisp and brown, drain on paper towel
• While you are frying the fillets dehusk and wash then quarter the fresh tomatillos, put in a sauce pan with the chicken stock and the jalapenos
• Cook the tomatillos until they are tender (it won't take as long with canned tomatillos) and the jalapeno is soft carefully remove from heat and pour into a blender reserving half the liquid in the pan.
• Put a towel over the lid of the blender and hold firm while blending. Add more liquid as needed till you have a pourable sauce but not a thin sauce.
• Add the lime juice a tablespoon at a time and taste after each addition until it has a bit of a tang and you can taste the lime juice.
• You can serve the fish laying side by side with a trickle of Tomatillo sauce straight down the middle or you can serve it on the side and let everyone add as they like it.

CRISPY WHOLE STRIPED BASS WITH RED TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat about 2 inches of oil in 2 high-sided skillets over medium heat to 360 degrees F.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in enough water to make a batter the consistency of a crepe batter. When the oil has reached 360 degrees, season each fish well on the inside and outside and dip into the batter, allowing any excess to run off. Carefully place 2 whole fish in each pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve each fish on a large plate, ladle with some of the Red Tomatillo Sauce, and serve.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place tomatillos in a small roasting pan, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast until soft, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat remaining olive oil in medium saucepan, add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and habanero and cook for 1 minute. Add the chile powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos, stir, and cook for 10 minute. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the vinegar, honey, and cilantro, and process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.