Got Fresh Fish? How 'bout a sandwich?

I am not the biggest fan of sandwiches. Never was. Most have too much bread, too little good stuff, and are seldom more than a fill-me-up kind of thing. There are exceptions, of course. Like a good burger. One that you make yourself, or one from one of the few remaining restaurants that can make them look and taste like those you make yourself.

I do like a good fish sandwich. But, alas (always liked that word, often describing despair), where can you get a good one? With a bit of king mackerel from a wunnerful day on the high seas, I found myself in need of lunch. Time to try something a little different.

In the fridge, Robie (my wife) had a bottle of Thai Peanut Sauce. The label said it was a dressing or marinade. Marinade! Why not? I took a piece of the king filet, the part near the tail. Thinner than the big steak chunks. I rubbed a little of the sauce over both sides of the fish. Sprinkled it with Old Bay, salt, and pepper. And, I let it set for a spell while I got everything else ready.

Like I said, most sandwiches come in thick buns. And using sliced white bread just sucks. For almost everything. A few months back, I discovered flat, thin, WHEAT buns. Whole Grain Honey Wheat, it says. Called Sandwich Thins. And, only 100 calories.

Out came the well-used cookie sheet. Sprayed a little section with olive oil. Separted the bun into its two sections. Kicked oven on to 350. Added a pad of butter to each section of the bun. Into the oven it goes.

As the butter begins to melt, the non-stick frying pan comes out. Sprayed it with olive oil, and onto the burner, already on high. As soon as I see smoke, I drop the fish into the pan. It sears. Nicely. First on one side, then the other.

I cut back on the burner, back to mid-scale. Medium. Now comes the cool part. Oven changed from bake to broil. Door cracked. I always keep a jar of red onion sauce, aka New York Onions, on hand. The kind you buy at those little hot dog stands, where vendors set up outside businesses (like Lowes in Jacksonville). Good stuff on hot dogs, and great for all sorts of dishes. I poured a bit on top of the now-seared fish filet. A tablespoon or so of water added to the frying pan. Covered the pan with a glass lid. The fish will cook evenly through and through, without burning.

Watch the fish and bread closely. When the bun starts to toast, take it out of the oven. Fish needs about 2-3 minutes, long enough to cook until it's flaky. Add the cooked fish to the toasted bun, spread on some cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or, in my case,both.

Absolutely yummy! A sandwich actually worth eating.