Waffles and fried chicken are Southern comfort-food classics, so it felt crucial for me to come with a fishified version. Crispy, golden fried fish is the perfect stand-in for chicken, while buttermilk pancakes offer an easier alternative to waffles (as in, no waffle maker required). It's just the right amount of salty greasiness paired with sweet and spicy jalapeño honey that makes this dish an instant brunch favorite.
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Ingredients
For the Jalapeño Honey
1 cup honey
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, thinly sliced
For the Pancakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons canola oil
For the Buttermilk Fried Fish
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup canola oil
4 thick, firm white fish fillets, such as halibut, halved crosswise
Directions
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Make the jalapeño honey: Place the honey and sliced jalapeño in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir to combine and let the honey come to a boil. Once the honey starts to boil, reduce the heat to a very low simmer and let the honey simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 200°F.
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Make the pancakes: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, eggs, and butter. Whisk until just combined. (Make sure not to overmix the batter; there should be small lumps.)
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the oil to the skillet. Once the skillet is hot and the oil is shimmering, add 1/4-cup portions of the batter to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the fish.
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Prepare the fish: In a large, wide metal bowl, combine the buttermilk, flour, baking powder, salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Whisk all the ingredients together until the batter is smooth.
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In a large cast-iron skillet set over medium-high, heat the oil to 350°F. (If you don't have a thermometer, look to the point when the oil has just barely started to smoke.) Once the oil is to temp, reduce the heat to medium-high, dredge 1 fish fillet in the batter so that it is fully coated, and transfer the fillet to the hot oil. Fry on each side until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining fillets.
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To serve, divide the pancakes among 4 plates, then top each with a fried fish fillet and drizzle with the warm jalapeño honey
Reprinted with permission from Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood with Recipes from the World's Oceans by © 2023 Valentine Thomas. Published by Union Square & Co.
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