INGREDIENTS
For the Special Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper
For the quick-pickled red onions:
½ medium red onion sliced
½ cup seasoned rice vinegar (or more to cover the onions)
For the Burgers:
1 pound rockfish, cut into 4 pieces (makes sure there are no bones)
Salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons corn starch
2 eggs whisked with 1 tablespoon water
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½-1 cup high heat oil for pan-frying (or more if needed)
4 slices provolone cheese
4 pieces of green leaf or red leaf lettuce
4-8 slices of tomato
Sliced pickles
4 pub buns or brioche buns, buttered and toasted if you prefer
DIRECTIONS
Special Sauce:
Mix together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sweet pickle relish, garlic, soy sauce and black pepper. Set aside.
Quick-pickled red onions:
Add the sliced red onions to a 16-ounce jelly jar or a glass bowl and cover with the rice vinegar. Let them hang out for about 15 minutes or so, or while you’re preparing the fish. Store the remaining pickled onions in a covered glass jar or container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Rockfish:
Heat a large skillet over medium or medium low heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Set up three plates or bowls, one with the corn starch, one with the egg wash and one with the panko.
While the oil is heating, season the fish pieces with salt and pepper. Then dust them in the corn starch. When the oil is hot but not smoking, dip the fish pieces in the egg wash and then the panko breadcrumbs. Place them gently in the skillet and let each piece cook until golden-brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat to low if your fish browns too quickly. Depending on the thickness of your fish, it should take about 3-4 minutes cook time on each side to cook the fish through. Typically, fish will cook 8-10 minutes for every inch of thickness. I find that rockfish cooks just a little faster. Also, fish does continue to cook a little when removed from the heat.
Once your fish is done, transfer it to a fish rack over a baking sheet or plate, or a paper towel lined plate. Top with the provolone cheese. This will give the cheese time to melt a bit. I like using a fish or cookie rack as this keeps both sides of the fish nice and crispy.
To assemble the crispy rockfish pub burger.
I like to toast the buns in the oven or stove top in a pan. I spread a little butter on the inside of each bun and then toast them in the pan or on a baking sheet. Just a little toasted makes them hold up a bit better and the texture is lovely with the fish.
Once the buns are toasted, add special sauce to each side of the bun. Place a provolone topped fish fillet on the bottom bun. Layer with sliced onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles and the top of the bun. Skewer with party picks or toothpick to keep everything together prior to serving, but you’ll want to serve these immediately!
