Yellowtail is a Florida favourite. For this recipe’s crispy crust, Chef Bobby Stoky fries up homemade onion rings and uses panko bread crumbs. These crumbs are from bread without crust and soak up less oil in the cooking process. The result? A far crispier, lighter crust. The key limes and mango give this dish a tropical feel.
Ingredients
- Yellowtail or Snapper 4 x 6-8 oz fillets
- Yellow Onion 1 large, sliced into thin rings
- Panko Bread Crumbs ½ cup
- All-Purpose Flour 1½ cups, divided
- Blackening Spice 1 Tbs
- Eggs 2, beaten
- Vegetable Oil for frying
Key Lime Butter
- Key Limes 6, juiced
- Butter 1 stick
- Dry White Wine ¼ cup
Mango Salsa
- Ripe Mango 1, diced
- Green Bell Pepper 1, diced
- Jalapeño Pepper 1, de-seeded and chopped
- 1 Tomato 1, diced
- Red Onion 1/2, diced
- Key Limes 4, juiced
- Cilantro 2 Tbs, chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook It
- Make the salsa: Place the chopped ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Add jalapeño, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
- Make the key lime butter: Melt butter over medium heat, add dry white wine, and key lime juice. Remove from heat and let rest at room temperature.
- In a large, deep sauté pan or fryer, heat enough vegetable oil to cover the onions to 350°F. In a medium bowl place 1 cup of the flour and the blackening spice. Toss the sliced onions in the flour mixture and lightly shake off any excess. Drop the onion rings into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dark brown. Remove from the oil, and place on paper towels.
- Allow the onion rings to cool to room temperature, then using a kitchen knife or a food processor, chop them until they are about the size of the panko crumbs. Place them into a medium bowl with the panko and mix well.
- Dredge the fillets through the remaining flour, then through the beaten eggs, and then press into the onion/bread crumb mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place a large sauté pan on the stove and add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Make sure the oil is hot! Sauté the battered fillets over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the crust is lightly browned. Remove from pan and place onto an oven-proof dish. Cook in the oven until the fillets are white throughout, approx. 4-5 minutes.
- Top with key lime butter and mango salsa, and enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of The Florida Keys and Key West.
